Bruni Sablan was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil circa the mid-twentieth century. Artistry has been her heritage. Her father Joseph Parello, of Sicilian decent, a civil engineer and architect, also painted. Her mother, Clo Parello, of Lebanese decent, was an accomplished classical pianist and beloved piano instructor for many years in the Northern California bay area.
Bruni’s father introduced her to American jazz at a very early time in her life, she was five years old. She describes him as a "quiet soul" who loved the music of Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Artie Shaw, Louis Armstrong, June Christy, Sarah Vaughan, and many more. At the same time, her Sicilian grandfather, Caetano Parello, was teaching her how to "see" art… He was a sculptor/painter himself. When caught "correcting" an Italian masterpiece owned by the Parello family, the child received accolades from her father and grandfather, although she was properly reprimanded for interfering with a great work of art by the rest of the family...
