OXFORD, Miss.— Pedro Brull Irizarry, internationally renowned salsa singer, kicks off the Artist Series at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Mississippi, Friday, Oct. 26.
Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert in the Haskell Theatre are $33.50 Orchestra/Parterre and $28 Mezzanine/Balcony. Tickets are available by calling 662-915-7411. The Haskell Theatre is the newly dedicated main stage at the Ford Center.
Ford Center Director Norm Easterbrook said he is thrilled to start the Artist Series with the exciting sounds of Pedro Brull and his orchestra, the Orquesta Rican Son.“This Artist Series is known for bringing is the best of both national and international performers and Pedro Brull Irizarry is one of the most exciting singers of salsa music. He combines the influences of his idols Cheo Feliciano, Andy Montanez, Marvin Santiago, Ismael Rivera and Rubén Blades into a highly personalized style that will surely engage audiences of all ages,” Easterbrook said.
While at Ole Miss, Brull will conduct a 9:30 a.m. salsa masterclass at the Turner Center Dance Studio for university students enrolled in dance and a noon music masterclass at the Ford Center. The music masterclass is free and open to the public.
Brull’s career began in his hometown of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico with Orquesta Son and Orquesta La Reforma and later joined Orquesta Exodus, led by trombonist Ruben Colon. From 1978 to 1979, he was lead singer with Primi Cruz for Grupo Concepto Latino. In 1979, Brull became the lead singer for one of the hottest salsa bands in Puerto Rico, Orquesta Mulenze, directed by bassist Edwin Mulenze.
Brull has recorded 12 albums with Orquesta Mulenze, which includes several musical hits such as “El Profeta,” “No Hay, Filomena,” “Olvidate De Mi,” “Te Vinieron A Decir ,” “Mi Negrita,” “Fuiste Tu,” “Estoy Aqui,” “Te Damos Las Gracias,” “Toco Madera,” “No Hay Preguntas” and many more.
Brull has also performed as a background vocalist with salsa greats such as Rubby Haddock, Bobby Valentin, Luis Enrique, Glenn Monroig, Frankie Hernandez, Justo Betancourt, Pedro Conga y su Orquesta Internacional, Luisito Ayala’s Puerto Rican Power, Lalo Rodriguez, Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, Pedro Arroyo, Willie Rosario, Luisito Carrion, Kim De Los Santos, Milly Quezada, Tony Vega, Omar Alfanno and Tommy Olivencia.
In 2005, Brull released his first solo album “Pronosticos.” The CD includes the hit song “El Malo de La Pelicula.”