A potentially significant improviser, Gregory Herbert's involvement with drugs cut short his life. Herbert began playing alto when he was 12. He worked briefly with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1964 before studying music at Temple University (1965-71). He debuted on record with Pat Martino in 1968. Herbert left Temple University to tour with Woody Herman's Orchestra (1971-75) and he later played with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra (1975-77), Chuck Israels' National Jazz Ensemble and briefly with Blood, Sweat and Tears. But Herbert's great potential was cut short when he died prematurely, during a European tour with Blood, Sweat and Tears. Gregory Herbert never led his own record date but he was prominently featured on a set by the Harold Danko Quartet cut for Inner City in 1975.