Werner Fritz Hermann Herbert Jacob was born in Mengersgereuth, Thuringia.
He studied at the Musikhochschule Freiburg to 1961, organ with Walter Kraft, harpsichord, composition with Wolfgang Fortner, and conducting with Carl Ueter.
He was from 1985 to 2003 the artistic director of the Internationale Orgelwoche Nürnberg [de] (ION, International week of organ music).
Jacob was professor of artistic organ playing (Künstlerisches Orgelspiel) at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1976 to 1998.
He received in 1993 the Wolfram-von-Eschenbach-Preis [de], and in 2003 Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.