Zez Confrey (1895-1971)
Last updated: 08.09.24
According to the Internet source given below, Zez [ Edward Elzear] Confrey was an American composer of popular music having more than 100 songs and instrumental pieces to his credit. The youngest of five children, he was brought up in Peru, Illinois, where he went to the LaSalle-Peru High School, performing in and conducting his own orchestra. After high school in studied classical music at the Chicago Musical College under Jesse Dunn and Frank Denhart. His best-known work is undoubtedly the extraordinary novelty rag Kitten on the Keys (1921)Whilst studying he earned his living by playing piano in an orchestra run by himself and his brother Jim Confrey. Word War I service in the US Navy found him in a tour show Leave It To Sailors in which Jack Benny also performed as a violinist. Also during the war years, Zez Confrey became established at the QRS Piano Roll Company making some 127 piano-rolls between 1918 and 1924. He then worked with the Brunswick, Edison, Emerson and Victor Talking Machine companies.
As the jazz age progressed he turned to composition. The book given under tab Books above written by him was more than 40 years in print. A sufferer of Parkinson's disease, he retired after World War II.
| Websites: | |||
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Zez Confrey | Brief biography by |
| Title | Co-Author(s) | Sequencer |
|---|
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Coaxing the Piano (1922) | Unknown | |
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Dizzy Fingers (1923) | Unknown | |
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Dumbell (1922) | James Pitt-Payne | |
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Greenwich Witch (1921) | Warren S. Trachtman | |
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Humorestless (1925) | Unknown | |
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Kitten on the Keys (1921) | J. Cowles | |
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My Pet (1921) | J. Cowles | |
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Stumbling (1922) | James Pitt | |
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Tricks (1922) | James Pitt-Payne | |
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You Tell 'em, Ivories (1921) | John Roache |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
|---|
 |
Greenwich Witch (1923) | Z. Confrey | Ernest L. Stevens | Edison: 8745 |
|
My Pet (1923) | Z. Confrey | Ernest L. Stevens | Edison: 8748 |
| Title (Release Year) | Performers | Instruments |
|---|
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Coaxing the Piano (1922) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | D/A/T/T/B/B/GB(B) |
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Dizzy Fingers (1923) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | T/T/T+B/B/GB(B) |
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Dumbell (1922) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | T/T/B/B/GB(B)/V(OT) |
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Greenwich Witch (1921) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | A/T/T/B/B/GB(B) |
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Kitten on the Keys (1921) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | A/T/T+S/B+D/B/GB(B) |
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My Pet (1921) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | A/T/T/T+B/B/GB(B) |
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Poor Buttermilk (1921) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | D+B/A/T/T+B/B/GB(B) |
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Stumbling (1922) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | T/T/B/B/GB(B) |
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Tricks (1922) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | T/T/T/B/B/GB(B) |
|
You Tell 'em Ivories (1921) | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. | D/A/T/T/B/GB(B) |
| Performer | CD Title | Supplier |
|---|
| Recorder Music CDs: | |||
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Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble | Recorder Ragtime: Curiosities | 
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| Brass Music CDs: | |||
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Canadian Brass | Red Hot Jazz: The Dixieland... |        |
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New Columbian Brass Band | The Teddy Bears Picnic | |
| Jazz Music CDs: | |||
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Peter Bocage | Peter Bocage with the Creole Serenaders | |
| Ragtime Music CDs: | |||
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Zez Confrey | Vol.4 Keyboard Wizards Of The Gershwin Era | |
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Various Artists | A Century of Ragtime 1897-1997 | |
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Various Artists | The Hits of '22: Do It Again! | |
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Various Artists | Pianola Jazz: Early Piano Jazz & Ragtime Played on Pianola Rolls | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Various Artists | Salon to Swing | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Various Artists | That Devilin' Tune | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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⇑Noel Lester | Syncopated Sensations | |
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Claude Bolling | Original Ragtime | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Claude Bolling | Original Ragtime/Original Boogie Woogie/Original Piano Blues | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Claude Bolling | Ragtime Bolling & Boogie | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Elite Syncopators | American Sampler Rag | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Alan Mandel | American Piano Vol. 3: Rags and Other Riches | |
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Dave Tucker | Meadow Lark | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Dave Tucker | Tickled Ragtime & Novelties | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Trebor Jay Tichenor | Ragtime Reunion | |
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Mimi Blais | Old Rags New Rags | |
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Mimi Blais | Ragtime | |
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⇑Mimi Blais | Taxi! | |
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Marco Fumo | Last Time Rag: Joplin - Morton et al | |
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William Bolcom | Sweet Sixteenths: A Ragtime Concert | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Muriel Pollock | Vol. 6 Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era | |
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Matthew Davidson | Whippin the Keys | |
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Lincoln Mayorga | On Tour | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Lincoln Mayorga | Sophisticated Innocence | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Ton Van Bergeyk | Black & Tan Fantasy | |
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Styliani | Dizzy Fingers | |
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New England Ragtime Ensemble | The Art of the Rag | |
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Richard Dowling | Rhapsody in Ragtime | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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⇑Richard Dowling | World's Greatest Piano Rags | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Mark Birnbaum | Hot Piano! Ragtime Blues Jazz Classical Mark Birnbaum | |
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Sue Keller | Live in Kalamazoo | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Sue Keller | Nola | |
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Sue Keller | Those Irresistible Blues | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Lisa Otey | Kitten on the Keys | |
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David A. Jasen | Rompin' Stompin' Ragtime | |
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Guido Nielsen | Kitten on the Keys | |
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Artis Wodehouse | Zez Confrey: Piano Rolls and Scores | |
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Frederick Hodges | Kitten on the Keys: Ragtime, Novelty & Stride Classics | |
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Max Morath | Living a Ragtime Life | |
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⇑Knuckles O'Toole | Knuckles O'Toole: Plays The Greatest All-Time Ragtime Hits | |
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Dick Hyman | Forgotten Dreams: Archives of Novelty Piano (1920's-1930's) | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Joe ''Fingers'' Carr | Honky Tonk Hits of Joe "Fingers" Carr | |
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Johnny Maddox | Red Hot Ragtime Volume 2 | CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) |
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Bill Edwards | It's Ragging Cats and Dogs | |
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Bill Edwards | A Ragtime Sampler | |
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Bill Edwards | The Two Sides of Perfessor Bill |
| Item | Title | Available | € | £ | $ | Other |
|---|
| DBE345 | Coaxing the Piano (1922) - Novelty D/A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3½ mins. |
1-2 days |  |
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| DBE346 | Dizzy Fingers (1923) - Novelty T/T/T+B/B/GB(B), approx. 3¾ mins. |
1-2 days | |
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| DBE347 | Dumbell (1922) - A "Stumbling" Fox Trot Full Of "Tricks" T/T/B/B/GB(B)/V(OT), approx. 4¾ mins. |
1-2 days | |
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| DBE348 | Greenwich Witch (1921) - Novelty A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 2¾ mins. |
1-2 days | |
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| DBE349 | Kitten on the Keys (1921) - Novelty A/T/T+S/B+D/B/GB(B), approx. 3¾ mins. |
out-of-print | €15.00 | £12.50 | $19.50 | |
| DBE350 | My Pet (1921) - Novelty A/T/T/B/T+B/GB(B), approx. 2½ mins. |
1-2 days | |
|||
| DBE352 | Poor Buttermilk (1921) - Novelty D+B/A/T/T+B/B/GB(B), approx. 2 mins. |
1-2 days | |
|||
| ⇑DBE353 | Stumbling (1922) - A Unique Fox Trot Song With an Original Rhythm T/T/B/B/GB(B)/V(OT), approx 4½ mins. |
1-2 days | |
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| DBE355 | Tricks (1922) - Fox Trot Song T/T/T/B/B/GB(B), approx. 4½ mins. |
1-2 days | |
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| DBE356 | You Tell 'Em Ivories (1921) - Novelty D/A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3¼ mins. |
1-2 days | |
| Title | Instruments | Remarks |
|---|
| Title | Attribution | Instruments | Source | Remarks |
|---|
 |
Kitten on the Keys (1921) | Z. Confrey (music) Z. Confrey (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Indiana |  |
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Stumbling (1922) | Z. Confrey (w&m) P. Whiteman (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Greer Indiana |
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This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 87 works by Zez Confrey (1895-1971).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: ER
(w&m)
(w&m)
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Greenwich Witch | 1921 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) Ernest L. Stevens (perf.) |
|
| Kitten on the Keys | 1921 | Zez Confrey (perf.) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) |
Pub. |
| My Pet | 1921 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) Ernest L. Stevens (perf.) |
|
| Poor Buttermilk | 1921 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) | Pub. |
| You Tell 'em Ivories | 1921 | Zez Confrey (perf.) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) |
Pub. |
| Coaxing the Piano | 1922 | Zez Confrey (perf.) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) |
Pub.  |
| Dumbell | 1922 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) | |
| Kitten on the Keys - Song | 1922 | Sam Coslow (words) | Pub. |
| Stumbling (w&m) | 1922 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) Paul Whiteman (perf.) |
Pub. |
| Stumbling - Paraphrase | 1922 | Pub. | |
| Tricks (w&m) | 1922 | Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) | Pub. |
| ⇑ Dizzy Fingers | 1923 | Mimi Blais (perf.) Zez Confrey (perf.) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.) |
Pub. |
| Nickel in the Slot | 1923 | Pub. | |
| Three Little Oddities | 1923 | |
|
| Anticipation | 1924 | Pub. | |
| High Hattin' | 1924 | part of African Suite | Pub. |
| Kinda Careless | 1924 | part of African Suite | Pub. |
| Mississippi Shivers | 1924 | part of African Suite | Pub. |
| Who Do You Suppose? | 1924 | ||
| Charleston Chuckles | 1925 |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Fantasy | 1925 | Jazz Arrangement | |
| Flower Song | 1925 | ||
| Home Sweet Home | 1925 | ||
| Humorestless | 1925 | |
|
| Melody in F | 1925 | ||
| Spring Song | 1925 | ||
| There's No One Can Love Me Like You Do | 1925 | ||
| Traumerei | 1925 | ||
| Fantasy | 1926 | Classical | |
| Jazz Fantasy | 1926 | |
|
| Oriental Fantasy | 1926 | ||
| ⇑ Jack in the Box | 1927 | Zez Confrey (perf.) | |
| Jay Walk | 1927 | Pub. | |
| Valse Mirage | 1927 | ||
| Sparkling Waters | 1928 | ||
| Concert Etude | 1929 | ||
| Heaven's Garden | 1931 | ||
| Buffoon | 1932 | Zez Confrey (perf.) | |
| Champagne | 1932 | Pub. |
|
| Desert Dance | 1932 | Pub. |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| In the South of France | 1932 | ||
| Indian Prayer | 1932 | |
|
| Moods of a New Yorker - After Theater Tango | 1932 | ||
| Moods of a New Yorker - At Dusk | 1932 | ||
| Moods of a New Yorker - Movie Ballet | 1932 | ||
| Moods of a New Yorker - Relaxation | 1932 | ||
| Phantom Cadets | 1932 | ||
| Wistfullness | 1932 | ||
| Grandfather's Clock | 1933 | ||
| Sittin' on a Log Pettin' My Dog | 1933 | ||
| Smart Alec | 1933 | |
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| ⇑ Arabian Maid | 1935 | |
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| Bird's Carnival, The | 1935 | |
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| Blue Tornado | 1935 | ||
| Giddy Ditty | 1935 | Pub. |
|
| Heart Like the Ocean, A | 1935 | ||
| Lullaby From Mars | 1935 | Pub. | |
| Mouse's Hoofs | 1935 | Pub. |
|
| Rag Doll Dimples | 1935 | ||
| Rhythm Venture | 1935 |
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Tin Pan Symphony | 1935 | ||
| Audacity | 1936 | |
|
| Home-Run on the Keys | 1936 | ||
| Meandering | 1936 | |
|
| Midsummer's Nightmare | 1936 | ||
| Motif Du Concert | 1936 | ||
| Sugar Dance | 1936 | ||
| Sunshine From the Fingers | 1936 | ||
| Tap Dance of the Chimes | 1936 | ||
| Ultra Ultra | 1936 | ||
| Wise Cracker Suite | 1936 | ||
| ⇑ Sport Model Encore | 1937 | ||
| Della Robbia | 1938 | |
|
| Hobble De Hoy, The | 1938 | ||
| Dancing Shadow | 1944 | ||
| Elihu's Harmonica | 1944 | ||
| Parade of the Jumping Beans | 1944 | ||
| Pickle Pepper Polka | 1944 | ||
| Tune For Mademoiselle | 1944 | ||
| Amazonia | 1945 | |
| Composer | Title | Performer |
|---|
|
Z. Confrey | Amazonia (3:17) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Champagne (2:01) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Coaxing the Piano (2:20) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Giddy Ditty (3:17) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Jazz Fantasy (2:34) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Meandering (1:39) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |
|
Z. Confrey | Mimi Blais Dizzy Fingers (7:22) | M. Blais |
|
Z. Confrey | Mouse's Hoofs (2:32) | Ragtime Dorian Henry |