"Imagination and a passion for exploration made Don Cherry one of the most influential jazz musicians of the late 20th century. A founding member of Ornette Coleman's groundbreaking quartet of the late '50s, Cherry continued to expand his musical vocabulary until his death in 1995. In addition to performing and recording with his own bands, Cherry worked with such top-ranked jazz musicians as Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, and Gato Barbieri. Cherry's most prolific period came in the late '70s and early '80s when he joined Nana Vasconcelos and Collin Walcott in the worldbeat group Codona, and with former bandmates Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell, and saxophonist Dewey Redman in the Coleman-inspired group Old and New Dreams. Cherry later worked with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward in the short-lived group Nu.

The Avant-Garde

Born in Oklahoma City in 1936, he first attained prominence with Coleman, with whom he began playing around 1957. At that time Cherry's instrument of choice was a pocket trumpet (or cornet) -- a miniature version of the full-sized model. The smaller instrument -- in Cherry's hands, at least -- got a smaller, slightly more nasal sound than is typical of the larger horn. Though he would play a regular cornet off and on throughout his career, Cherry remained most closely identified with the pocket instrument. Cherry stayed with Coleman through the early '60s, playing on the first seven (and most influential) of the saxophonist's albums. In 1960, he recorded The Avant-Garde with John Coltrane. After leaving Coleman's band, Cherry played with Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, and Albert Ayler. In 1963-1964, Cherry co-led the New York Contemporary Five with Shepp and John Tchicai. With Gato Barbieri, Cherry led a band in Europe from 1964-1966, recording two of his most highly regarded albums, Complete Communion and Symphony for Improvisers.

Cherry began the '70s by teaching at Dartmouth College in 1970, and recorded with the Jazz Composer's Orchestra in 1973. He lived in Sweden for four years, and used the country as a base for his travels around Europe and the Middle East. Cherry became increasingly interested in other, mostly non-Western styles of music. In the late '70s and early '80s, he performed and recorded with Codona, a cooperative group with percussionist Nana Vasconcelos and multi-instrumentalist Collin Walcott. Codona's sound was a pastiche of African, Asian, and other indigenous musics.

Art Deco

Concurrently, Cherry joined with ex-Coleman associates Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell, and Dewey Redman to form Old and New Dreams, a band dedicated to playing the compositions of their former employer. After the dissolution of Codona, Cherry formed Nu with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward. In 1988, he made Art Deco, a more traditional album of acoustic jazz, with Haden, Billy Higgins, and saxophonist James Clay.

Multikulti

Until his death in 1995, Cherry continued to combine disparate musical genres; his interest in world music never abated. Cherry learned to play and compose for wood flutes, tambura, gamelan, and various other non-Western instruments. Elements of these musics inevitably found their way into his later compositions and performances, as on 1990's Multi Kulti, a characteristic celebration of musical diversity. As a live performer, Cherry was notoriously uneven. It was not unheard of for him to arrive very late for gigs, and his technique -- never great to begin with -- showed on occasion a considerable, perhaps inexcusable, decline. In his last years, especially, Cherry seemed less self-possessed as a musician. Yet his musical legacy is one of such influence that his personal failings fade in relative significance."

American percussionist and sitar player Collin Walcott (1945-1984) was a pioneering figure in the integration of Indian classical music with jazz improvisation. Having studied sitar with Ravi Shankar and tabla with Alla Rakha, he became a founding member of Oregon alongside Ralph Towner, Glen Moore, and Paul McCandless. His recordings for ECM include Cloud Dance and Grazing Dreams, and he later joined Don Cherry and Naná Vasconcelos in the influential trio CODONA. Walcott's distinctive approach combined intricate rhythmic structures with an expansive, cross-cultural musical sensibility.

American jazz vocalist Leon Thomas (1937-1999) developed a distinctive approach to singing that combined blues, spiritual expression, improvisation, and extraordinary yodeling and ululation techniques. Best known for his collaboration with Pharoah Sanders on the landmark 1969 recording "The Creator Has a Master Plan," Thomas also performed with Count Basie, Randy Weston, and Santana. His solo recordings for Flying Dutchman, including Spirits Known and Unknown and The Leon Thomas Album, established him as an important voice in spiritual and avant-garde jazz.

American bassist Glen Moore (born 1941) is best known as a founding member of Oregon, the influential acoustic ensemble combining jazz improvisation with classical, folk, and international musical traditions. Originally associated with the Paul Winter Consort, Moore developed a fluid, melodic approach to the double bass that became central to Oregon's distinctive sound. His career also includes collaborations with Paul Bley, Larry Karush, and numerous creative improvisers, reflecting his longstanding interest in open musical forms and intercultural exploration.

American woodwind multi-instrumentalist and composer Paul McCandless (born 1947) is a founding member of Oregon, whose distinctive acoustic sound helped establish new connections between chamber jazz, classical music, and global musical traditions. Known particularly for his expressive work on oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, and soprano saxophone, McCandless first gained recognition with the Paul Winter Consort before helping form Oregon in the early 1970s. His extensive career includes solo recordings, chamber projects, and collaborations across jazz, folk, and contemporary instrumental music.

American guitarist, pianist, and composer Ralph Towner (1940-2026) was a founding member of Oregon and a major figure in modern acoustic jazz. Combining classical guitar techniques, sophisticated harmonic writing, and an improvisational language informed by jazz and Brazilian music, Towner developed a highly individual approach to the six- and twelve-string guitar. His extensive association with ECM produced influential recordings including Diary, Solstice, and At First Light, alongside collaborations with Gary Peacock, John Abercrombie, Jan Garbarek, and numerous other creative musicians.