Edward Elzear "Zez" Confrey (April 3, 1895 – November 22, 1971) was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 composer and performer of piano music. His most noted works were "Kitten on the Keys," and "Dizzy Fingers."

Life and career

Confrey was born in Peru, Illinois

Peru, Illinois

Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, the youngest child of Thomas and Margaret Confrey. After World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 he became a pianist and arranger for the QRS piano roll

Piano roll

A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. A piano roll is a continuous roll of paper with perforations punched into it. The peforations represent note control data...

 company. He also recorded for the AMPICO Company, which made piano rolls for their reproducing player piano mechanisms, which were installed in pianos such as the Mason&Hamlin, and Chickering to name a few. His novelty piano

Novelty piano

Novelty Piano is a genre of piano music that was popular during the 1920s.A successor to ragtime and an outgrowth of the piano roll music of the teens, novelty piano can be considered a pianistic cousin of jazz, which appeared around the same time....

 composition "Kitten on the Keys," released in 1921, became a hit

Hit record

A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...

, and he went on to compose many other pieces in the same genre. This piece was inspired by a cat at his grandmother's house that he discovered prancing up and down the piano keyboard. "Dizzy Fingers" (1923) was Confrey's other ragtime

Ragtime

Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...

 biggest seller.

After the 1920s he turned more and more toward composing for jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 bands. He retired after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 but continued to compose occasionally until 1959. He died in Lakewood, New Jersey after suffering for many years from Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...

. He left behind more than a hundred piano works, miniature operas, and songs, plus numerous piano rolls, music publications, and recordings.

List of known works

For piano unless otherwise indicated.

• "By the Waters of Minnetonka" (1915) (for voice & piano or orchestra)
• "Afghanistan" (1920)
• "My Pet" (1921)
• "Kitten on the Keys" (1921)
• "You Tell 'em Ivories" (1921)
• "Poor Buttermilk" (1921)
• "Greenwich Witch" (1921)
• "Kitten on the Keys" - song (1922)
• "Stumbling" (1922)
• "Stumbling – Paraphrase" (1922)
• "Coaxing the Piano" (1922)
• "Dumbell" (1922)
• "Tricks" (1922)
• "Nickel in the Slot" (1923)
• "Dizzy Fingers" (1923)
• "Three Little Oddities" (1923) (for piano or violin and piano)
  • "Impromptu"
  • "Romanza"
  • "Novelette"
• "African Suite" (1924)
  • "High Hattin'"
  • "Kinda Careless"
  • "Mississippi Shivers"
• "Anticipation" (1924)
• "Charleston Chuckles" (1925)
• "Fantasy – Jazz Arrangement" (1925)
• "Humorestless" (1925)
• "Flower Song" (1925)
• "Spring Song" (1925)
• "Home Sweet Home" (1925)
• "Melody in F" (1925)
• "Traumerei" (1925)
• "Fantasy – Classical" (1926)
• "Jay Walk" (1927)
• "Jack in the Box" (1927)
• "Walse Mirage" (1927)
• "Sparkling Waters" (1928)
• "Concert Etude" (1929)
• "Heaven's Garden" (1931)
• "Heaven's Garden – Song" (1931)
• "Moods of a New Yorker" (1932)
  • "At Dusk"
  • "Movie Ballet"
  • "Relaxation"
  • "After Theatre – Tango"
• "Buffoon" (1932)
• "Champagne" (1932)
• "Desert Dance" (1932)
• "In the South of France" (1932)
• "Indian Prayer" (1932)
• "Phantom Cadets" (1932)
• "Wistfullness" (1932)
• "Grandfather's Clock" (1933)
• "Sittin' on a Log Pettin' My Dog" (1933)
• "Smart Alec" (1933)
• "Giddy Ditty" (1935)
• "Rhythm Venture" (1935)
• "Arabian Maid" (1935)
• "A Heart Like the Ocean" (1935)
• "Lullaby from Mars" (1935)
• "Mouses' Hooves" (1935)
• "Tin Pan Symphony" (1935)
• "The Birds' Carnival" (1935)
• "Blue Tornado" (1935)
• "Rag Doll Dimples" (1935)
• "Audacity" (1936)
• "Meandering" (1936)
• "Tap Dance of the Chimes" (1936)
• "Ultra-Ultra" (1936)
• "Home-Run on the Keys" (1936)
• "Midsummer's Nightmare" (1936)
• "Motif Du Concert" (1936)
• "Wise Cracker Suite" (1936)
  • "Yokel Opus"
  • "Mighty Lackawanna"
  • "The Sheriff's Lament"
• "Sugar Dance" (1936)
• "Sunshine from the Fingers" (1936)
• "Sport Model Encore" (1937)
• "The Hobble De Hoy" (1938)
• "That Old Piano Roll Band" (1943)
• "Dancing Shadow" (1944)
• "Elihu's Harmonica" (1944)
• "Parade of the Jumping Beans" (1944)
• "Pickle Pepper Polka" (1944)
• "Tune For Mademoiselle" (1944)
• "Amazonia" (1945)
• "Butterfly" (1945)
• "Flutter By, Butterfly" (1945)
• "Rag Doll Carnival" (1945)
• "Four Candy Pieces" (1949)
• "Song of Thanksgiving" (1952)
• "Four Circus Pieces" (1959)
• "Fourth Dimension" (1959)

Selected discography

• Zez Confrey: Creator of the Novelty Rag, Zez Confrey (1976)
• The Dancing Twenties, Various Artists (1976)
• The Piano Roll Artistry of Zez Confrey, Zez Confrey (1982)

External links