Better Days Ahead (album)

Better Days Ahead
Studio album by
Norman Brown
ReleasedJune 18, 1996
Studio
  • Titan Recording (Van Nuys, California)
  • In Your Ear Recording (Los Angeles, California)
  • Ocean Way Recording, Record Plant and Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, California)
  • Larrabee Sound Studios (North Hollywood, California)
  • Saturn Sound (Studio City, California)
  • The Enterprise (Burbank, California)
GenreJazz
LabelMotown
ProducerNorman Brown, The Characters, Charles Farrar, Herman Jackson, Troy Taylor, Michael Vail Blum
Norman Brown chronology
After the Storm
(1994) 		Better Days Ahead
(1996) 		Celebration
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

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.[2] The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.[3]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."This Time Around"Norman Brown4:25
2."Better Days Ahead"Norman Brown5:42
3."After the Love Has Gone"Bill Champlin, David Foster, Jay Graydon5:03
4."Places in the Heart"Norman Brown6:32
5."Third World"Norman Brown5:16
6."Come Closer to Me"Norman Brown4:59
7."N-Control"Norman Brown5:27
8."Serenade"Norman Brown6:10
9."Your Body's Callin'"R. Kelly5:49
10."Facts of Love"Norman Brown, Kenneth William Hirsch, Kimberly Ross5:55

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

  1. ^ "Norman Brown: Better Days Ahead". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Norman Brown: Better Days Ahead. Motown. 1996.
  3. ^ "Norman Brown: Better Days Ahead (Top Jazz Albums)". Billboard.


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