Carl Fischer’s Sunshine City Brass found its rhythm at a virtual intersection where the North met the South. It’s a music based joyride all about brightening your day, drawing on the emotions of a fun freewheeling time. The group conjures up the vibes of the Big Easy, with the feel and energy of the Big Apple, coming to you straight from the Sunshine City, St. Petersburg, Florida.

The idea for this band was sparked in 2013 by Fischer upon settling into his new home in St. Pete.

“I thought it would be a really fun and positive thing to have a Saturday late afternoon brass band that paraded down Central Avenue in St. Pete, past all the restaurants and bars, and finally settled in at a bar called The Garden. However, shortly after coming up with the idea, The Garden closed. 

At that time, I was not only touring with Billy Joel but also with Blood Sweat & Tears and Diana Ross. Time at home was very limited, and the time I did have consisted of a quick visit to wash clothes, catch up on sleep, play with my dog, pack again, give my wife a kiss, and head back to the airport.”

A few years later, the idea is still spinning around in Carl’s head, and then BAM… the pandemic hits.  As we all experienced a new, unsure, and uneasy time during 2020, it was the perfect time to bring a little positivity into the mix. That’s when “The Quarantine Session” happened. It took a little bit of Zoom Conferencing, a few friends, and a couple virtual audio/video recording sessions, and Carl Fischer’s Sunshine City Brass was born. 

The first recording released was an arrangement of “Down by the Riverside,” featuring Fischer playing seven different horn parts, vocals from Michael Delguidice (Carl’s bandmate on the Billy Joel Band), and drums and percussion from Luis Alicea from another of Carl’s projects called TËTI (Tribute to Evolutionary Trumpet Icons). The track was featured on Fox Television, Charley’s World on Fox 13 News, and more.

The band has performed to a sold-out audience at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, been featured on The Mike Calta Show, and has even created a monthly residency at O’Maddy’s in Gulfport, Florida. This has become quite the hang for both listeners and musicians alike. You really never know who might show up! Special guests join Carl and the band all the time, including the likes of NY Yankee legend and monster guitarist Bernie Williams, Mike MacArthur, Ronnie Dee, Jeff Rupert, Jeremy Carter, among many others! The band has even used its residency and partnership with O’Maddy’s to do a Hurricane Ian relief benefit for the American Red Cross, raising more than $17,000 for local disaster relief efforts.

Carl Fischer’s Sunshine City Brass is not meant to be just a band—it’s a mood. It’s about capturing the laid-back, “Sunny Side of the Street” essence of St. Pete and blending it with the depth, energy, and in-your-face jazz style of Fischer, all combined with the fun of funk and the classic sound of brass to create something unique!