Brighter Shores was the culmination of meeting of Dan Nicholas' European Quintet Equinox with master vocalist Marjorie Barnes. Marjorie Barnes rose to prominence in 1970s as a member of the super group the 5th Dimension before moving to Europe in the 1980s where she has worked with the cream of the crop of European jazz musicians. The collaboration lasted for over five years, seeing the band play festivals in Cannes, Athens, and the Cork Jazz Fest in Ireland. In addition to being the musical director and arranger for the group, Dan Nicholas also wrote several songs himself, including "Round And Round" featured on the album.