Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West

American guitar player-Legend-Leslie West died before having his last idea materialized. An album of MOUNTAIN, LW,BWL classics along with some new compositions reinterpreted by himself and some well known guests. Now after his death his wish comes true as a number of musicians famous, well known and established in the rock community,come to pay their tribute to one of the most acceptable and recognizable guitar masters of the first generation of Guitar Gods. Names famous and diverse in their playing as Zakk Wylde, Marty Friedman, Eddie Ojeda, Yngwie Malmsteeen, Slash, Robby Krieger, George Lynch, Martin Barre and Charlie Starr, almost everyone from the old school of the 80s plus some more US choices as Starr and some vocalists who cover all the genres and generations JLTurner, Dee Snider, Ronnie Romero and Matt LaBelle plus well known musicians as Mike Portnoy, Rudy Sarzo, Teddy Rondinelli for the rhythm section.

What I loved in this tribute, is first of all the selection of the songs,

A bit out of the comfort zone, especially for me as I am a big BWL fan. The second is that almost all guitar players tried to pay homage to West, infiltrating his melodic, bluesy style on his own.You can understand this easily at Wyldes and even more Friedmans efforts at Blood of the Sun and "Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)" .Malmsteen has his own take at "Long red" trying to play less scales and more notes , to embrace some passion in his finger picking and achieves it up to one point. Most of the songs have a steady rhythm section from Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones, the steady partners of Leslie West for the last few years, something that adds more stability and homogeneity to the final result.

If you re not aware of the work of this unique musician, this is a great chance to meet him through the eyes of his friends and "students" and understand how much he has influenced generations of rock musicians, leaving away the Ego, most of the rest rock musicians tended to grow at some point of their careers.

8