File:"Modulations" (1923), by Clarence M. Jones.oga

English: Clarence M. Jones (born August 15, 1889 in Wilmington (Ohio); - June 1, 1949 in New York City) was an American ragtime, novelty- and jazz pianist and arranger, composer, orchestra conductor and music teacher, who was also popularly known as the Sultan of Syncopation and in Chicago the 1910s and 1920s.

Jones had piano lessons with his mother and began his career in the early 20th century, after he left his hometown of Wilmington, Ohio, and worked in Cincinnati and finally around 1911 in Chicago. There he joined in the mid-1910s The Owl theater with its Wonder Orchestra. Ted T. Ward’s song "Hula Lou" a popular novelty song which was well known throughout the city at the time.

He also wrote numerous songs that were released as sheet music. His early songs include "Lightning (A Striking Rag)" (1908), "The Candy (Ragged Two Step)" (1909) and "Wild Grapes Rag" (1910). In 1913-14 Frank K. Root & Co. published his "Pauline Waltz", "One Wonderful Night", "Thanks for the Lobster" "In Search Of a Husband", "That Baseball Rag" and later "Only You" (1915, with Arthur J. Lamb), "La Danza Appassionata" (1916), "The Dirty Dozen" (1917) and "Modulations" (1923).

Jones taught the young Jimmy Blythe, when he came to Chicago in 1916. In 1916 Jones worked as composer and arranger for the McKinley Music Company. His songs were released by such record labels as Crescent and Medallion. In addition, he made piano rolls for companies like the Imperial Roll Company incorporated and worked with the bands of Charley Straight and Roy Bargy. He also performed with Charles Luckyeth Roberts, Eubie Blake, Maceo Pinkard and James P. Johnson Jones, Tommy Ladnier and Jimmy O'Bryant,

Later he moved with his family to New York, where he worked as an arranger, composer and pianist for the vocal ensemble Southern Aires since 1933.