Caravan of Thieves create fun yet elegant compositions that embody the spirit and swing of early gypsy jazz but with plenty of witty, inventive lyrics and vocal harmonies to serenade the listener. Fiery violin arrangements, thumping upright bass and rhythmic acoustic guitar spanking counteract the sweet, melodic, harmonious male/female vocals of Fuzz and Carrie. Within their first year together, Caravan of Thieves managed to win immediate praise for their new and unique brand of alt gypsy acoustic music and their theatrical high intensity show.

Caravan successfully connected with audiences on each of these diverse and at times, odd fitting bills proving the music to be a hit with folk, pop, rock and jazz appreciators alike as well as all age groups. This became evident when in only ten months they went from support act to selling out their first headline show. Also in that first year and in a fit of creativity, the group wrote, recorded and released their debut full length album, Bouquet, featuring 12 original compositions. To accompany this collection of dramatic and comical short stories, they built an interactive stage set of percussive junk which delivers the audiences directly into the wild, imaginative minds of Fuzz and Carrie and the Caravan of Thieves.

Comprised of Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni, the singers and acoustic guitar players, Ben Dean the violinist and Brian Anderson the double bassist, this ragtag cast of characters converge from vastly different backgrounds in folk, pop, classical, jazz and rock. Fuzz (who has spent the past thirteen years touring the world with funk and dance groups such as Tom Tom Club and Deep Banana Blackout) teamed up with Carrie in 2004 to create an acoustic duo and their full band Rolla together. In those early years they developed their songwriting and vocal harmonizing skills together, released two records and played hundreds of shows around the country. As their vision developed, the couple knew they needed to expand their palette and in early 2008 recruited Brian, who had toured previously in his experimental jazz trio Raisin Hill, as well as Ben, who had studied jazz and classical violin since an early age and performed in a variety of ensembles, bands and orchestras around Connecticut.

Their latest CD, Mischief Night, captures the fun and vibrancy of their live shows with original tunes and wild interpretations of Queen and Talking Heads classics.

Photograph by Chad Anderson

• Carrie Sangiovanni on Caravan of Thieves:
  A short and fun description we sometimes use for our music is “The Beatles meet Django Reinhardt at Tim Burton’s house.” Our stage persona is that of four, rag-tag animated characters who share clothing from the Victorian era, 1930s formal and somewhat Gothic outfits. We all play acoustic instruments with enthusiasm and at time, reckless abandon, often emitting sounds of Eastern European and Klezmer influence and we litter the stage with various junk that we drum on with a passion.
  
  So in that sense, yes, “gypsy” isn’t a bad word, but to take it one step further, we can describe it as ‘gypsy swinging serenading fire-breathing circus freaks.
  quoted in newsleader.com
• This zany group brings a touch of vaudeville, over-the-top theatricality, performance art and an all-but-the-kitchen sink collection of percussion utensils (and a hubcap) to their brand of gypsy swing music. Think Three Stooges with a sexy sidekick and musical skills. Michael Bialas, The Huffington Post
• [Caravan of Thieves’] sound is lilting, upbeat, intricate and string-heavy, in the tradition of the best gypsy swing from the turn of the 20th century. What sets the band apart from its forebears, though, is the aspect of post-modern, macabre styling in the live show. Husband and wife acoustic guitar duo Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni, violinist Ben Dean and double bassist Brian Anderson dress like cemetery groundskeepers angry at their own gothic elegance. They even pose for photo shoots in cemeteries, with black corsets, lace and top hats galore.
  
  More than fashion flair, the four players jump and scream, chase after each other and sit around on boxes facing one another in intimate jams, creating an atmosphere of deep camaraderie, playfulness and artful discernment. As those in their growing fan base can tell you, a Caravan of Thieves concert is more than sounds and voices, yet those alone may slay you. Clara Rose Thornton, Rutland Herald