Zez Confrey 

The most underrated and underappreciated early jazz (also known as novelty piano) composer of all time. Without Zez Confrey, jazz would not exist the same way it does today. His music is the successor to ragtime and the predecessor to jazz. His most popular compositions include Kitten on the Keys (1921), Dizzy Fingers (1923), and Stumbling (1922). He has composed over 90 pieces, each one as great and innovative as the last. Some are only available in ultra rare out of print books, and some have never even been published. His music was greatly influenced by impressionists like Debussy and ragtime players such as Scott Joplin. His last composition was entitled Fourth Dimension and was composed in 1959.

jazz teacher: you see students, ragtime was the predcessor to jazz. scott joplin was a famous ragtime composer in the early 1900s. after the death of the ragtime tradition came stride players like jelly roll morton and fats waller.

student: what about zez confrey?

jazz teacher: zez who?

student: *facepalms*

Zez Confrey by Bogmire August 25, 2010