LONGMEADOW, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Longmeadow native and an international jazz competition finalist Hailey Brinnel is now adding bandleader to her resume. She’s releasing her first jazz album this week.
Brinnel, 25, is dreaming dreams. Originally from Longmeadow, the trombonist and vocalist now lives in Philadelphia. She has performed at prestigious venues around the world, including The Kennedy Center.
Now, she’s releasing her debut album as a bandleader on March 5. Titled after her late grandfather’s favorite song - “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” - is filled with her renditions of famous jazz classics, which Brinnel described as a sentimental collection of songs.
“A lot of them were from my childhood in different ways…I just feel so much joy and warmth when I am listening to this set of songs, so I really hope that even if people don’t consider themselves jazz lovers that they can listen in and kind of feel that same sense of joy that I get,” Brinnel explained.
Growing up around jazz, Brinnel told Western Mass News she started playing professionally with her dad at just 12 years old.
“It’s just been around me as long as I can remember, so it was kind of a natural inclination I had when I started playing professionally to sort of gravitate toward it,” Brinnel added.
Besides a new album, Brinnel has some other exciting things in store for 2021. She is one of the five finalists of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.
“Everyone’s just very supportive and completely floored to be a finalist,” Brinnel said.
The competition is set for Sunday, June 6 at the NJPAC Center in Trenton, NJ.
“I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” is available now for preorder on Amazon. It will also be available Friday anywhere you can stream music.
