Herbolzheimer was born to a Romanian mother and a German father in
Bucharest, Romania. His family emigrated in 1951 from
Communist Romania to
West Germany. In 1953, he moved to the United States, where he enrolled in Highland Park high school in Michigan, graduating in 1954. He was a member of choral groups and orchestra and played guitar in bands in Detroit. In 1957, he returned to Germany and began playing
valve trombone in "open mike" groups. He returned to Michigan, but his visa was denied. For one year he studied at the
Nuremberg Conservatory. In the 1960s, he played with the Nuremberg radio dance orchestra and with
Bert Kämpfert's orchestra. In 1968, he became a member of the pit orchestra of
Hamburg theater (Deutsches Schauspielhaus) directed by
Hans Koller. In 1969, he formed the Rhythm Combination and Brass big band for which he wrote most of the arrangements. In the late 1970s, the band toured successfully with a "jazz gala" program with guest stars such as
Esther Phillips,
Stan Getz,
Nat Adderley,
Gerry Mulligan,
Toots Thielemans,
Clark Terry, and
Albert Mangelsdorff. In later years, the band played concert tours, television shows, and jazz festivals. In 1972, Herbolzheimer wrote music for the
Edelhagen Band's opening of the
Olympic Games in
Munich. In 1974, Herbolzheimer's band entered an annual television competition in the Belgian seaside resort
Knokke, winning the Golden Swan Award. He also won the International Jazz Composers Competition 1974 in
Monaco. Herbolzheimer's arrangements combine swing, Latin music, and rock music. In the 1970s and 1980s, Herbolzheimer led his orchestra for German television networks with guest musicians such as
Ella Fitzgerald,
Benny Goodman,
Sammy Davis Jr.,
Dizzy Gillespie, and
Al Jarreau. Between 1987 and 2006, Herbolzheimer was the musical director of Germany's national youth jazz orchestra, the Bundes Jazz Orchester. He conducted regular workshops and clinics for big band jazz. In 2007, he was chosen music director, arranger, and conductor of the European Jazz Band, which toured throughout Europe until 2009. Herbolzheimer died at the age of 74 in his hometown of
Cologne, Germany on 27 March 2010. ==Personnel==