Zez Confrey

Edward Elzear "Zez" Confrey (3 April 1895 – 22 November 1971) was an American composer and performer of novelty piano and jazz music. His most noted works were "Kitten on the Keys" and "Dizzy Fingers." Studying at the Chicago Musical College and becoming enthralled by French impressionists played a critical role in how he composed and performed music.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 3, 1895 (Peru), Died November 22, 1971 (Lakewood Township)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1921 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, piano, leader, lyricist, songwriter, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-26259	10-in.	6/3/1927	Kitten on the keys	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer, leader
Victor	B-26259	10-in.	3/20/1922	Kitten on the keys	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26282	10-in.	3/30/1922	Stumbling	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	B-26322	10-in.	4/27/1922	I love her, she loves me	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26490	10-in.	5/25/1922	Stumbling	Billy Murray	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist, composer
Victor	B-26656	10-in.	6/29/1922	Are you playing fair?	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26657	10-in.	6/29/1922	Struttin' at the strutter's ball	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26705	10-in.	7/25/1922	Tricks	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	B-26742	10-in.	8/30/1922	Zenda	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26743	10-in.	8/30/1922	I'm goin' to plant myself in my old plantation home	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26791	10-in.	9/22/1922	Cow bells	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-26792	10-in.	9/22/1922	True blue Sam (The traveling man)	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader
Victor	B-26955	10-in.	10/13/1922	All muddled up	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27133	10-in.	11/10/1922	Open your arms my Alabamy	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27134	10-in.	11/10/1922	The fuzzy wuzzy bird	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27259	10-in.	12/26/1922	Dumbell	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	B-27260	10-in.	12/26/1922	When all your castles come tumbling down	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader
Victor	B-27447	10-in.	2/1/1923	Some little someone	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27448	10-in.	2/1/1923	Sunny Jim	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27653	10-in.	3/14/1923	Liza	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27654	10-in.	3/14/1923	New Hampshire	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27820	10-in.	4/12/1923	Wet yo' thumb	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-27821	10-in.	4/12/1923	Morning will come	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-28007	10-in.	5/15/1923	Oh! Harold!	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader
Victor	B-28008	10-in.	5/15/1923	Rosetime and you	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader
Victor	B-28211	10-in.	6/22/1923	Nickel in the slot	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader, composer
Victor	B-28212	10-in.	6/22/1923	Pickles	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-28270	10-in.	7/11/1923	Dusting the keys	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	B-30355	10-in.	7/3/1924	Mississippi shiver	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader, composer
Victor	B-30451	10-in.	7/1/1924	Greenwich witch	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	B-30452	10-in.	7/1/1924	Dizzy fingers	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	B-31437	10-in.	11/21/1924	Humorestless	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, piano, leader, arranger
Victor	B-31438	10-in.	11/21/1924	Charleston chuckles	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with vocal effects	instrumentalist, piano, leader, composer
Victor	BVE-37523	10-in.	1/7/1927	Prudy	Zez Confrey Orchestra [i.e., Victor Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	BVE-38102	10-in.	2/22/1927	Dizzy fingers	Max Kortlander	Piano solo	composer
Victor	BVE-39113	10-in.	8/25/1927	Polly	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	BVE-39215	10-in.	6/3/1927	Dizzy fingers	Zez Confrey Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	leader, composer
Victor	BVE-49262	10-in.	12/17/1928	Jack in the box	Zez Confrey Orchestra [i.e., Victor Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band	composer, leader
Victor	BVE-49263	10-in.	12/17/1928	Jumping Jack	Zez Confrey Orchestra [i.e., Victor Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band	leader
Victor	BRC-72591	10-in.	5/17/1932	Buffoon	Victor Concert Orchestra	Orchestra	composer
Victor	BVE-78572	10-in.	11/22/1933	Sittin' on a log (Pettin' my dog)	Hotel McAlpin Orchestra ; Sam Robbins	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-78856	10-in.	12/15/1933	Sittin' on a log (Pettin' my dog)	Isham Jones Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-80273	10-in.	2/15/1934	Grandfather's clock	Edgewater Beach Hotel Orchestra ; Harry Sosnik	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-034692	10-in.	5/22/1939	Buffoon	Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-037741	10-in.	6/21/1939	Stumbling	Van Alexander Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	D7FB-1797	10-in.	10/23/1947	Dizzy fingers	Henri René Orchestra	Instrumental ensemble	composer
Victor	D7VB-1912	10-in.	10/24/1947	Dizzy fingers	Three Suns	Instrumental trio	composer
Victor	D7VB-1927	10-in.	10/25/1947	Stumbling	Three Suns	Instrumental trio	composer
Victor	[Trial 1921-08-26-01]	10-in.	8/26/1921	Kitten on the keys	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Columbia	80290	10-in.	4/8/1922	Stumbling	Ray Miller Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	80337	10-in.	5/5/1922	Stumbling	Frank Crumit	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist, composer
Columbia	80480	10-in.	7/29/1922	Kitten on the keys	Jack Austin ; Frank E. Banta	Piano duet	composer
Columbia	80484	10-in.	7/31/1922	Tricks	Eddie Elkins' Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	80664	10-in.	11/10/1922	Dumbell	Happy Six	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	80700	10-in.	12/4/1922	You tell 'em ivories	Frank Westphal	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	80707	10-in.	12/6/1922	Greenwich witch	Frank Westphal Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	80710	10-in.	12/7/1922	Coaxing the piano	Frank Westphal	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	W140979	10-in.	9/17/1925	Dizzy fingers	Art Kahn	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	W141653	10-in.	2/9/1926	Dizzy fingers	Art Kahn	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	W144452	10-in.	7/9/1927	Jay walk	Art Kahn	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	145504	10-in.	1/11/1928	Jack in the box	Arthur Schutt	Piano solo	composer
Columbia	W152542	10-in.	10/27/1933	Sittin' on a log (Pettin' my dog)	Fran Frey and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
OKeh	S-70583	10-in.	Apr. 1922	Kitten on the keys	Larry Briers ; Okeh Trio ; Harry Reser	Instrumental trio	composer
OKeh	S-70639	10-in.	Apr. 1922	Stumbling	Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez	Jazz/dance band	composer
OKeh	S-70811	10-in.	Aug. 1922	Tricks	Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez	Jazz/dance band	composer
OKeh	S-71082	10-in.	Dec. 1922	Dumbell	Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez	Jazz/dance band	composer
OKeh	S-72024	10-in.	11/9/1923	Nickel in the slot	Willie Eckstein	Piano solo	composer
OKeh	S-72379	10-in.	Mar. 1924	Dizzy fingers	Willie Eckstein	Piano solo	composer
Brunswick	5061	10-in.	approximately Feb. 1921	Kitten on the keys	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	5092	10-in.	approximately Feb. 1921	My pet	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	5601	10-in.	approximately May 1921	Poor buttermilk	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	5813	10-in.	approximately June 1921	You tell 'em, ivories	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	5830	10-in.	approximately June 1921	You tell 'em, ivories	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	6219	10-in.	approximately Aug. 1921	Greenwich witch	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	7920	10-in.	approximately Apr. 1922	Stumbling	Benny Krueger’s Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	9124	10-in.	approximately Nov. 1922	Greenwich witch	Isham Jones Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	6741-6742	10-in.	approximately Nov. 1921	Coaxing the piano	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Brunswick	7697-7699	10-in.	approximately Mar. 1922	Kitten on the keys	Carl Fenton’s Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	8146-8148	10-in.	approximately May 1922	Stumbling	Benny Krueger’s Orchestra ; Margaret Young	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	composer, lyricist
Brunswick	8521-8523	10-in.	approximately July 1922	Tricks	Isham Jones Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	9230-9232	10-in.	approximately Nov. 1922	Dumbell	Benny Krueger’s Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Brunswick	XE30582	12-in.	7/25/1929	Brunswick brevities [program and part unknown]	Brunswick Salon Orchestra	Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band, with accordion solo	composer
Brunswick	E20006-E20007	10-in.	9/2/1926	Dizzy fingers	Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman	Piano duet, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E20110-E20112	10-in.	9/13/1926	Dizzy fingers	Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman	Piano duet, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E20315-E20317	10-in.	10/1/1926	Dizzy fingers	Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman	Piano duet, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	DB66	10-in.	9/25/1928	Coaxing the piano	W. Harris	Piano solo	composer
Edison	8226	10-in.	9/23/1921	Kitten on the keys	Zez Confrey	Piano solo	instrumentalist, piano, composer
Edison	8452	10-in.	5/16/1922	Stumbling	Atlantic Dance Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Edison	8465	10-in.	5/25/1922	Stumbling	Broadway Dance Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Edison	8572	10-in.	8/11/1922	Tricks	Broadway Dance Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Edison	8686	10-in.	12/7/1922	Dumbell	Broadway Dance Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	composer
Edison	8745	10-in.	7/21/1923	Greenwich witch	Ernest L. Stevens	Piano solo	composer
Edison	8748	10-in.	7/28/1923	My pet	Ernest L. Stevens	Piano solo	composer
Edison	11977	10-in.	10/22/1927	Dizzy fingers	Magnante-Carlino-Lange Trio	Cello, banjo, and accordion	composer
Arto	[Arto Cat 9147A]	10-in.	5/4/1922	Stumbling	Catalina Social Seven	Jazz/dance band	composer

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Confrey, Zez," accessed November 18, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104002.

Confrey, Zez. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104002.

"Confrey, Zez." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 November 2024.