Woody Herman played in bands for nearly sixty years and led his own for more than fifty, more than half the life of jazz itself. His was a career productive more of music, friends and stacks of records than of fame or money. For two glittering years he led arguably the best jazz big band ever, of any era, of any musical style. But often he also half-joked that "except for my 1945-46 band (my career) was all downhill."

"…a remarkable book. Blue Flame is an engrossing journey through the corridors of the Woody Herman era. Mr Kriebel writes brilliantly." - AL JULIAN, associate director, Woody Herman Society

"There is a great deal of information that has not appeared before under a single cover. There are new and different viewpoints and attitudes that will surely stimulate and encourage new scholarship." - DAVID BAKER, Professor of Music, Indiana University.

ROBERT KRIEBEL gives the reader an excellent picture of the unique insight of Woody Herman and his musicians as they worked together for over fifty year and incorporated the changing styles of pop and jazz music into Woody's jazz band." - BILL BYRNE, trumpet player and road manager, Woody Herman Orchestra.

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