Leslie on peak form as his music is celebrated on seven CDs

Jewish Telegraph, August 2021

THE genius of Leslie West is celebrated in two multi-disc CD sets.
Voiceprint is releasing the three-CD set Five Originals and the four-CD Got Live today
Born Leslie Weinstein in New York City in 1945, the larger-than-life character led classic rock band Mountain as well as releasing solo albums and performing with Jack Bruce and Corky Laing.
West, who died in December, suffered from many medical conditions, including diabetes, which resulted in him having his right leg amputated. He also survived bladder cancer.
Five Originals features five full length albums, including The Great Fatsby, which features High Roller, co-written with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Also included in this set is Leslie West Band, Guitarded, Alligator and Theme.
Got Live spans the years 1975 to 1998 and includes a show at The Robin in West Midlands town of Bilston.
The performances include Mountain classics such as Mississippi Queen and Nantucket Sleighride along with covers such as Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), Honky Tonk Woman and House of the Rising Sun.
When the Jewish Telegraph interviewed West in 2013 to mark his solo album Still Climbing!, he quipped: “Not much Jewish folk music on there so I hope your readers still like it.”
Five Originals is an excellent introduction to the music of West, but Mountain’s self-titled debut album, which is not included in the set, is also worthy of searching out.