Orlando Venhereque

Orlando Venhereque is a composer, arranger, producer, educator, saxophonist and flutist born and raised in Mozambique. In 1991, He began his musical career playing clarinet at the National Music School in Maputo, where he studied classical music.

After four years at the National School of Music, he embarked on several workshops and private lessons with local and international jazz musicians. In 1997, Venhereque added saxophones and flute to his list of instruments. Venhereque has performed with jazz musicians from Mozambique, South Africa, Europe, America, Asia and other African countries. Over the years, he acquired knowledge in jazz and improvisation.

In 2004, Venhereque toured Portugal for 6 months with Timbila Muzimba (a ten piece orchestra of Timbila, Mozambican-type Xylophones and African percussion combined with classical and contemporary instruments. In 2005 and 2006, Venhereque moved to the Middle East, United Arab Emirates and worked at some local Jazz clubs with bands from Europe and South Africa.

In 2007, he made Cape Town his new home. Once established in Cape Town, Venhereque worked with several local bands and participated in various Jazz festivals (Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2008, Mozambique International Jazz Festival 2008, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz 2009, and Luanda Jazz Festival 2009 to name but few).

In 2009, Venhereque was invited to teach African Jazz Music in Denmark, Copenhagen (Rhythmic Music Conservatory). His other accomplishments are concerts in Sweden and Denmark (With Banda De Maputo Project).

2010-2011, Orlando Venhereque produced and recorded his debut album titled Healing Africa. This album was officially launched at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2011. Healing Africa was recorded in Cape Town and it is a mixture of rhythms from Mozambique and contemporaneous Jazz influences. In 2012, Venhereque worked for six months in Qatar at the Oryx Rotana Hotel (the Jazz Club) and then later that year moved to Johannesburg where he worked with local musicians including Herbie Tsoaeli, legendary jazz bassist and South African Music Award winner (SAMA) 2013, in the Jazz category. 2014, Venhereque was promoting his debut album in the Southern African countries with his new jazz quartet project. In 2015, he was working mainly between Johannesburg and Maputo. With performances done at the prestige jazz club in Johannesburg, THE ORBIT. In Maputo he did a six weeks tour, promoting is debut album. He also performed with the great bass player from Mozambique (Carlos Gove), at the MORE JAZZ SERIE 5. VMPE: Venhereque Music Production & Entertainment