 His father's youngest brother, Taki, a jazz pianist, was an early major influence, but Tom claims he is basically self-taught.After playing in rock and blues bands in high school and college, he discovered jazz, and in particular fusion and art rock.Being influenced especially by the music of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Josef Zawinul, Pat Metheny, and John McLaughlin, Alexander began forming his own fusion groups by the mid 1980s and recorded several original compositions on public radio as well as performing them in live settings through the mid 1990s.