Leslie West Legacy - A Tribute To Leslie West (CD)

On December 23, 2020, the music world had to say goodbye to one of its great influential rock guitarists: Leslie West. The US musician was the founder, singer and guitarist of the rock band Mountain.

Leslie West's music, in its elemental importance for hard rock and heavy metal, is primarily reserved for the older generation. As a co-founder of the band MOUNTAIN in 1968, which was described as a louder version of CREAM in the music press, the songs were sometimes characterized by extreme volume and heavily distorted guitar solos by Leslie West. He was considered a wizard on the Gibson. In addition, there were lyrical ballads, which were always characterized by strong guitar dominance. MOUNTAIN's best-known songs were Missisippi Queen, published in 1970, Theme For An Imaginary Western, written by Jack Bruce (CREAM), and the fantastic Nantucket Sleighride, which could sometimes lead to a mammoth jam of more than thirty minutes live. MOUNTAIN rose to supergroup status at the latest with their brilliant performance at the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969 and shone with furiously fast guitar solo work, rough and dirty vocals and a merciless toughness. Leslie West, by the way, always counted Eric Clapton among his most important musical influences. Until his death in 2020, Leslie West, who already had a leg amputated in 2001 due to diabetes, stood or sat on stage and, after the time with MOUNTAIN in 1972 as the super trio West, Bruce (Jack Bruce of CREAM) &Laing, a reunion of MOUNTAIN, the LESLIE WEST BAND and as a solo artist, always put out new albums and played concerts until the end.
The immense importance and the tremendous legacy of the hard rock exceptional guitarist was shown after the death of Leslie by the gigantic interest of high-class musicians, who are considered admirers of Leslie West and wanted to pay tribute to the idol through their interpretations.

Under the apt album title Legacy-A Tribute To Leslie West, Provogue Records releases on March 25 a truly without exception fantastic cover album that revives and immortalizes the music of Leslie West. The album was authorized and co-produced by Leslie`s wife, Jenni West, and contains 12 fabulously well-performed bangers of rock music that will impressively bring home the eminent influence on the genre, especially to any hard rock fan who is not so familiar with Leslie West`s music.

The names that arranged the implementation of Leslie's music are more than impressive and the list is very long: Zakk Wylde, Joe Lynn Turner, Marty Friedmann, Dee Snider, Rudy Sarzo, Mike Portnoy, George Lynch, Ronnie Romero, Steve Morse, Robby Krieger, Charlie Starr, Yngwie Malmsteen, Slash, Randy Bachmann and many many others have done incredible things in the implementation of the music.

Although this is a covers album and it is certainly worthwhile to explore and acquire Leslie West's original albums, Legacy, however, is so above average in its recording and realization that it is a must purchase for newcomers and will certainly spark interest in the diverse music of Leslie West. Even for long-time fans of the protagonist, the re-recording will be considered an honest homage and jewel due to the very interesting arrangements of the fantastic musicians.

Every song on the album is a highlight, with Missisippi Queen, interpreted by Slash and Marc Labelle of DIRTY HONEY, being a suitable choice for a play-by-play. Jenni West described the version as follows:" It's authentic, respectful and powerful. Somewhere up there, Leslie is looking down and smiling." Theme For An Imaginary Western also comes across fantastically with the expressive voice of Dee Snider, who describes himself as a good friend of Leslie. RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE vocalist Joe Lynn Turner does terrific voice work on the bluesy Nantucket Sleighride. But throughout, all the songs are outstanding, whether Silver Paper with West admirer Charlie Starr of BLACKBERRY SMOKE or the numbers in which top guitarists Zakk Wylde, DOORS icon Robbie Krieger or Steve Morse of DEEP PURPLE are almost the equal of the deceased.