Irvis played with
Bubber Miley in his youth and then with blues singer
Lucille Hegamin and her Blue Flame Syncopators from 1920 to 1921.[3] Following this he played with
Willie "The Lion" Smith and with
Duke Ellington's orchestra (1924–1926), as well as recording occasionally with
Clarence Williams between 1923 and 1927.[3] Irvis, along with friends Miley and
Tricky Sam Nanton, all contributed to the development of "jungle sounds" (
growl effects) in trombone playing. After leaving Ellington's band, he recorded with
Fats Waller (1927, 1929) and played with
Charlie Johnson (1927–1928) and
Jelly Roll Morton (1929–1930).[3] Some of his latest recordings were in 1931 with Miley again,[3] and shortly thereafter with
Elmer Snowden.
Personal life
After the early 1930s, Irvis apparently stopped playing, and died around 1939 in obscurity.[3]