Better Days Ahead (album)
| Norman Brown | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 18, 1970 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Smooth jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Mo Jazz, Warner Bros., Peak, Shanachie |
| Associated acts | Russ Freeman, BWB |
| Website | www |
Norman Brown (born December 18, 1970 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American smooth jazz guitarist and singer.
Brown was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1970. When he was eight-years-old, he was attracted to his brother's acoustic guitar. He was inspired by Jimi Hendrix and the Isley Brothers. Then when he heard Wes Montgomery, he began to play jazz. He attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, then signed with Mo Jazz, a division of Motown.
In 1992 he released his debut album, Just Between Us. Collaborators included the Boyz II Men, Stevie Wonder and Kenneth H. Williams. A portion of the album was produced by Norman Connors, a jazz drummer and producer who discovered Brown. In 1994 Brown released the album After the Storm, which gained critical success. He followed this album with the 1996 release Better Days Ahead, which earned him a broader audience. Brown transferred to Warner Bros. Records. In 2000, he released Celebration, which was produced by Paul Brown.
In 2002, he formed BWB with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and trumpeter Rick Braun, and they released Groovin' . In 2003, he and his producer Paul Brown won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album for Just Chillin'.
During the summer of 2007, Brown had a No. 1 smooth jazz radio hit, "Let's Take a Ride," from the album Stay With Me, according to Radio and Records magazine. In 2008, the Verve Music Group re-released Just Between Us as part of its "Verve Originals" series. Brown's music can be heard during The Weather Channel's Local on the 8s segments. His song "Lydian" is included in their 2008 compilation release, The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II.
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