Better Days Ahead (album)

Better Days Ahead is the third studio album of jazz guitarist Norman Brown released in 1996 on Motown Records. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

Overview
Earth, Wind & Fire Horns appear on the album.

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