Ray Alexander

b. 7 February 1925, Lynbrook, Long Island, USA, d. 9 June 2002, New Hyde Park, New York, USA. Born into a musical environment (his mother was a concert pianist), Alexander began playing piano as a very small child. At school, he formed a harmonica band then planned to be a trumpet player, but childhood asthma ended that ambition. After seeing Gene Krupa at New YorkGÇÖs Paramount Theatre around 1940 Alexander decided on taking drumming lessons. He also continued to listen to jazz in New York clubs, hearing GÇÿBigGÇÖ Sid Catlett, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and m...