Better Days Ahead (album)

Better Days Ahead is the third studio album by jazz guitarist Norman Brown, released in 1996 on Motown Records. Earth, Wind & Fire Horns appear on the album. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

Track listing

Personnel

• Norman Brown – guitars (1–9), arrangements (1–9), vocal scat (3), vocal arrangements (3, 6), lead guitar (10)
• Gail Johnson – keyboards (1), organ (7), synthesizers (7)
• Wayne Livsey – keyboards (1, 7)
• Herman Jackson – keyboards (2, 4–6, 8), synthesizer programming (3), drum programming (3), arrangements (3), grand piano (4, 8)
• The Characters (Charles Farrar and Troy Taylor) – instruments (9, 10)
• Troy Taylor – backing vocals (9, 10), additional arrangements (8), synthesizer programming (10), drum programming (10), rhythm and vocal arrangements (10)
• Larry Kimpel – bass (1, 2, 4–8)
• James Manning – bass (3)
• Rayford Griffin – drums (1, 2, 4–8)
• Munyungo Jackson – percussion (1, 2, 4–6)
• Gary Bias – horns (6, 7)
• Reggie Young – horns (6, 7)
• Ray Brown – horns (6, 7), orchestration (6, 7)
• Bridgette Bryant – backing vocals (3), vocals (6)
• Lynne Fiddmont-Linsey – backing vocals (3), vocal arrangements (3, 6), vocals (6)
• Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (3)
• Carl "Neuron" Thomas – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Bruce Walker – executive producer
• Norman Brown – executive producer, producer (1–8, 10)
• Herman Jackson – co-producer (1–8)
• Michael Vail Blum – co-producer (1, 2, 4–8), recording, mixing
• The Characters – producers (9, 10)
• Eliud "Lou" Ortiz – recording, mixing
• Ralph Sutton – recording
• Richard Huredia – recording assistant
• Tony Rambo – recording assistant
• James Saez – recording assistant
• Michael Sangrey – recording assistant
• Erick Labson – mastering at MCA Music Media Studios (North Hollywood, California)
• Eric Talbert – A&R direction
• Chad Gary – A&R production coordinator
• Kimberly Ross – production management assistant
• David Irvin – design
• Carol Friedman – art direction, photography
• Ellen Silverstein – wardrobe styling
• Michael Evans – hair stylist
• Quitefire – make-up
• Bruce Kramer – management

References