Rich Siegel
It’s Always Been You
June 1, 2026
Reviewed by Kathleen Landis
After decades of performing in and listening to jazz trios, I find genuine excitement about a new trio release is hard to come by. Rich Siegel’s latest recording, It’s Always Been You, is a rare exception.
Siegel brings a remarkable range of musical talents to this project. He weaves them together seamlessly across a recording that holds the listener in a single, cohesive, sound space even as the material shifts between genres. He is a gifted pianist and singer who is equally fluent performing authentically in Spanish, French, and Portuguese, expanding the traditional jazz trio nature with world music.
The repertoire balances Siegel’s originals and American Songbook standards that include Irving Berlin’s “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” and Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen’s “Like Someone in Love” with original compositions by multi-instrumentalist Tom Waits and singer-songwriter/guitarist Jim Scott. I feel the real stars of the recording are his originals.
There are four of his originals: the title track “It’s Always Been You,” “Spring Again,” “I Think of You,” and “Bryant Pond.” Each offers its own romantic narrative framed by inventive musical backgrounds. My favorite, “Bryant Pond,” stands out as a quietly stunning meditation on love. It’s a poetic reflection on the shift from wanting to knowing. Siegel’s lyrics could stand alone as poems.
One of his most distinctive gifts is a technique too rarely heard in many contemporary singers: the ability to move fluidly from spoken word to full-voiced song, which mimics the natural arc of storytelling. It creates genuine dramatic variety and draws the listener deeper into each piece.
None of this would land as fully as it does without the exceptional instrumental partnership at the album’s core. Bassist Cameron Brown grounds the trio with his beautiful solo lines and his supportive presence beneath Siegel’s piano work. Drummer Tony Jefferson brings authenticity and rhythmic nuance to everything from the ethnic pieces to the American Songbook standards, threading a delicate but definite swing through the entire record. The trio’s interplay reflects a mutual respect for one another’s craft and a shared dedication to the music.
It’s Always Been You is, simply put, that good: the kind of album you finish and still want to hear again.
