Neil Diamond
puts himself into the shoes of a character,
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
, writing and singing music compelling and rich in texture and melody, to fit the portrait perfectly in a movie under the same name. Recorded in 1973 for
CBS
under the
pop/rock
style genre,
Diamond
had much help in order to make this into reality. Commend
Tom Catalano
for the musical direction and
Lee Holdridge
for the splendid and compelling orchestra and string arrangements. Though
only sings on a few tracks, he does it so with the grace and smooth flair that brings enchantment only like he can. Romantic, fresh, and lively, this album fits the piece of the puzzle the motion picture needed so perfectly. A word of praise and thanks also goes out the hundred-plus musicians rallied to perform orchestral duties. ~ Shawn M. Haney