Ragtime band leader was great (9)
I believe the answer is:
alexander
'ragtime' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
I can't explain the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for alexander that I've seen before include "band's leader on record" , "Great king of ancient Macedonia" , "The Great Man" , "Great Greek military commander" , "cant compare with the British Grenadier" .)