Orla Murphy is a talented London-based Jazz Vocalist who has been performing on the London jazz scene over the last almost five years.  Her voice has been described as possessing a distinctive, rich, and soulful sound with a fiery, bluesy quality; and comparisons have been made with great jazz Vocalists Cleo Laine and Nina Simone.

Although mainly performing jazz from her vast repertoire, her voice is equipped with the versatility to sing soul gems and pop classics.  One of her primary idols is Stevie Wonder, and her interpretation of his classic ‘Make Sure Your Sure’ from her debut album ‘Wishful Thinking’ (2008), is testament to her adventurous approach to jazz and her confidence to crossover to soul.

Orla has performed in many notable jazz and music venues throughout London and in the Greater London area, notably: The National Portrait Gallery, The Spice of Life, The National Theatre Foyer, Mill Hill Jazz Club, Pizza Express (Maidstone) and The Octave; and worked and recorded with many of London’s eading jazz musicians.

Orla has also performed throughout the UK, in Italy, and Ireland, with memorable performances at the Derry Jazz & Big Band Festival in Northern Ireland (May '07 & ‘09); the Glasgow International Jazz Festival (June '07 & ‘09) and Swansea Jazzland, Wales (July '07 & May '08).

In the last year Orla released her debut album 'Wishful Thinking', which she co-produced with pianist Simon Wallace. The album had its official release on FMR Records on the 1st May 2008 and is gaining notable praise from jazz musicians and critics alike.  This release coincided with Orla's very successful Jazz Services-funded tour in England which began at the National Portrait Gallery in London on the 30th May 2008.  Other performances took place at the Milestones Jazz Club in Lowestoft, Matt & Phreds Jazz Club in Manchester, The Met in Bury, and St. Ives Jazz Club in Cornwall among others. The tour was well received and garnered much praise and attention from audiences throughout the country.

In 2005 and 2006 Orla performed with two of Europe's leading contemporary jazz guitarists, Sandro Gibellini in Certaldo, Italy (August 2005) and with Mike Nielsen at the Sligo Jazz Festival, Ireland (October 2005). Orla was also guest vocalist with Sandro as part of his north-west tour of Ireland in Sligo (February 2006).