May 1997

Gary Sivils
You Must Believe in Music
Altenburgh Records

By Chuck Berg

Cornetist Gary Sivils is an impassioned player whose Miles-ish sound and soaring lines have made him a Kansas City mainstay. As an admiring Pat Metheny (whose first regular gig was with Sivils) says, "Gary Sivils is a master of melody." Indeed, the cornetist's ability to tell his story, whether a vulnerable "You Must Believe in Spring" or melancholy "Mr. Bojangles," rings out in each and every track. Abetted by fellow Kansas Citians Paul Smith (piano), Bob Branstetter (bass) and Todd Strait (drums), Sivils sails with authority and grace.