In On the Way to the Sky: Remembering Bob Brookmeyer , author Michael Stephans has created a rich, multifaceted paean to jazz icon Bob Brookmeyer, the much-beloved musical genius who passed away in 2011, four days short of his 82nd birthday. On the Way to the Sky is a hybrid book in that it’s part memoir, part biography, with over a dozen essays by such luminaries as Maria Schneider, Jim McNeely, John Mosca, Darcy James Argue, Dave Rivello, John Hollenbeck, and the late Terry Teachout, as well as shorter tributes by prominent musicians, writers, and family members. Stephans also presents three chronologically arranged chapters that trace Brookmeyer’s musical trajectory via his recordings, from 1952 through 2011. In spite of Brookmeyer’s six-decade career as a master of the valve trombone and piano—and as an iconoclastic composer, arranger, and educator—he has rarely received the exposure to the listening public that he so richly deserves. In Stephans’s words, “When writing about music and musicians, a writer’s responsibility is to expand public awareness of other voices in all musical genres.” His dedication to illuminating the Brookmeyer legacy is his palpable raison d’être. “ On the Way to the Sky highlights Bob’s musical characteristics but also deals with the man as a whole. It will be a welcome addition to my personal library.”― Richard DeRosa , director of jazz composition and arranging at UNT   “ On the Way to the Sky is worthy of attention from the most curious jazz fans, the hard-core music historians, and perhaps most importantly, to students―both those in jazz history and appreciation courses and others who are studying jazz performance, composition, and arranging. After all, it’s our responsibility to pass the torch to younger generations so they can keep the music alive and thriving. This wonderful book is a step in the right direction. I think that anyone who reads On the Way to the Sky will enjoy the author’s warmly accessible prose, as well as the tributes of many of Bob Brookmeyer’s colleagues, students, and admirers. Thank you, Michael, for so compassionately telling Bob’s story.”― Michael Patterson , Grammy- and Emmy-winning composer, arranger, and producer   “Bob Brookmeyer performed, recorded, and wrote for the best in the world of jazz but unfortunately never achieved the name recognition or status among the general public that many of his peers did. Fortunately for us, drummer/author Michael Stephans has helped to rectify this neglect with his new book, On the Way to the Sky . Michael’s account of Bob’s life is told with love and a thorough understanding of his subject based on over thirty years of friendship and musical collaboration. Bob’s mark on any performance, recorded or live, was always indelible. His sound was one of the most recognizable of any jazz artist, and his compositions and arrangements―even the very earliest ones―have withstood the test of time.”― Joe La Barbera , composer and author of Times Remembered: The Final Years of the Bill Evans Trio “This is a book that needed to be written, and Michael is the perfect person to have done it. His memory and time with Bob are both engaging and illuminating.”― Dave Rivello , author of Bob Brookmeyer in Conversation with Dave Rivello “This book sheds new light on Brookmeyer's contribution to jazz and is an engaging read that will delight many a listener and musician.”-- Hilary Seabrook “[Stephans] makes a convincing case that the Kansas City native merits a higher profile. . . . Stephans’ over-the-top enthusiasm is contagious. He compelled me to immerse myself in Brookmeyer’s discography. . . . [As] a stimulus to a fuller appreciation of Brookmeyer, it’s literary masterpiece.”-- Plastic Sax "[Brookmeyer] is widely recognized for his immense contributions as a valuable sideman on valve trombone, although his vast discography showcases him also as an innovative composer, orchestrator and arranger with a distinctive style, gifted improviser, bandleader and occasional pianist―strengths which are often overlooked. . . . The observations of musicians who worked with and/or were mentored by Brookmeyer are illuminating: to-the-point remarks by guitarist Jim Hall from the master’s memorial service, as well as numerous others who reveal much about Brookmeyer as a composer, orchestrator, conductor and leader, including Jim McNeely, John Hollenbeck, John Mosca, Dave Rivello and Maria Schneider, whose studies with Brookmeyer reveal how influential he was to her."-- The New York City Jazz Record MICHAEL STEPHANS has led three distinct but interrelated lives. He holds a PhD and two master’s degrees, has taught at three prestigious universities, and is currently faculty emeritus at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. A prominent jazz musician, Michael has performed and recorded with a wide array of jazz artists, including Bob Brookmeyer, Bennie Maupin, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Alan Broadbent, and many others. Michael