Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Charlie Irvis was born May 6, 1899 in New York City. He first played trombone professionally with Bubber Miley in his youth and then with blues singer Lucille Hegamin in the “Blue Flame Syncopators” from 1920 to 1921. Following this stint, Charlie played with Willie “The Lion” Smith and with Duke Ellington’s Washingtonians and later with his orchestra from 1924 to 1926. During the years 1923 to 1927 he also recorded occasionally with Clarence Williams.
Irvis, along with friends Miley and Tricky Sam Nanton contributed to the development of “jungle sounds” or “growl effects” in trombone playing. After leaving Ellington’s band, for the rest of the decade and into the early 1930s he recorded with Fats Waller, played with Charlie Johnson and Jelly Roll Morton. Some of his final recordings were in 1931 with Miley again, and shortly thereafter with Elmer Snowden.
After the early 1930s, Charlie Irvis, best known for his work with Duke Ellington’s band, stopped playing and passed away in New York City sometime around 1939 in obscurity. He is pictured 2nd from left in the photograph.
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