Irv took over the lead chair when Jaruco Vazquez left the band... Until 1939, the Lecuona Cuban Boys toured the most luxurious casinos and theaters of pre-war Europe, sharing the stage with figures such as Maurice Chevalier, Josephine Baker and Raquel Meller, making recordings for the main record labels, radio stations and the newly born TV.
At the beginning of World War II, the orchestra continued its tours in Latin America, performing in Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
In December 1950 they returned to Havana to perform with Josephine Baker and Roland Gerbeau at the Teatro América, and to inaugurate TV in Cuba.
During the fifties they toured alternately between South America and Europe, with such memorable performances as those in 1953-54 at the inauguration of the Hotel Tamanaco in Caracas and at the 10th Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in the Venezuelan capital itself, where they shared the stage with the Chucho Sanoja orchestra.
"Rhumba Azul" was played at the funeral (1st Oct 1942) of German WWII fighter ace (158 victories) Hans-Joachim Marseille (aged 22).