Don Cherry, born Donald Eugene Cherry in Oklahoma City, November 18, 1936, gained notoriety in the late 1950s through legendary Ornette Coleman recordings featuring his cornet/trumpet playing(his playing of novel horns, such as the pocket trumpet is also notable); include The Shape of Jazz to Come(1959) and Free Jazz(1961), the latter bred an entirely new sub-genre of jazz itself. After leaving Coleman and playing on with John Coltrane on The Avant-Garde(1961), he signed a deal with the influential Blue Note record label to release three albums. The first of these and his most famous recording, Complete Communion(1965), proved Cherry's worth and originality as a composer by developing several different themes within each twenty minute piece and blurring the distinction between composition and improvisation.

During the late 60s and beyond Cherry added various world music elements to his work. He constantly traveled and implemented different ethnic elements, including the shenai (an oboe-like instrument) until his death in Malaga, Spain in 1995.