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In the 1920s, novelty piano playing was all the rage, made popular by Victor Records and the Q.R.S. player-piano rolls that people enjoyed all across America. The prime composer of this music was piano genius Zez Confrey, who wrote his Ten Lessons for Piano for musicians who wanted to play in this new, jazzy style. The course was in print for decades, and thousands of copies were sold. Unfortunately, the course was printed on cheap paper that would soon become damaged and then discarded. Today, the course is almost impossible to find. For that reason, Waking Lion Press has republished this classic work that will keep your toes tapping and your fingers flying across the keys.
Confrey wrote, "In the preparation of this volume. the author had two aims in view: first, to produce a series of lessons that would, with proper application and study, develop the technical ability of the student to a marked degree; and second, to embody in each lesson sufficient musical attraction to eliminate the monotony usually associated with studies that may have been created for a similar purpose. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of piano playing may pursue these lessons with definite results: time-worn methods usually employed to attain such results have been avoided.
"The author hopes that this work will be accepted by his many friends as a tribute to their helpfulness, and that its object, which is to be of real benefit to his co-pianists, be realized. If these results are achieved, he will feel well satisfied with his effort."
About the author
Edward Elzear "Zez" Confrey (3 April 1895 - 22 November 1971) was an American composer and performer of novelty piano and jazz music. In 1921 Confrey wrote his novelty piano solo "Kitten on the Keys," inspired by hearing his grandmother's cat walk on the keyboard of her piano. The song became a hit, and he went on to compose many other pieces in the genre. "Dizzy Fingers" (1923) was Confrey's other biggest seller.Following the 1920s, Confrey focused primarily on composing for jazz bands. He retired after World War II but continued to compose until 1959. He died at age 76 in Lakewood, New Jersey, after suffering for many years from Parkinson's disease. He left behind more than a hundred piano works, songs and miniature operas, and numerous piano rolls, music publications, and sound recordings.
