Event

Caravan of Thieves

Gypsy Swinging Serenading Firebreathing Circus Freaks?

Well, yes. Driving gypsy jazz rhythms, acoustic guitars, upright bass, and violin lay the foundation for mesmerizing vocal harmonies and fantastic stories. It's theatrical and humorous. It's musical and intense. It entertains, dazzles and defies classification while welcoming the spectator to join the band throughout the performance in momentary fits of claps, snaps, and sing-alongs. If Django Reinhardt, the cast of Stomp, and the Beatles all had a party at Tim Burton's house, Caravan of Thieves would be the band they hired.

The foursome from Connecticut combines vaudevillian antics and slapstick humor with beautiful vocal harmonies and spot-on instrumentation. Upright-bass player Brian Anderson furiously pulls and slaps, contrasting well with violinist Ben Dean, who plays with graceful speed and agility, often bending and swaying with each lingering note. Acoustic guitarists/vocalists/married-couple Carrie and Fuzz Sangiovanni provided witty banter between songs (which they co-wrote). Her singing varied from melodically sweet to hauntingly sultry, while his impressive, speedy gypsy-jazz strumming is accompanied by fun whoops and yowls.

It's easy to see how this signature style can appeal to such a wide swath of fans. The band members obviously are masters of their respective instruments. And there's something about the band's witty, spirited gypsy folk-jazz that is so new and yet so familiar all at once. Violin, upright bass, acoustic guitar and harmonious vocals blend into a sweet, melodic whirl of musical flavors. This could all come off like a bunch of silly stuff if the band did not have the musical chops to back it up. But Caravan of Thieves doesand how.