The Nevada Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece band led by music director Barry Ross, will perform a tribute to Maynard Ferguson on Sunday. Maynard Ferguson was known for his trumpet work on the "Rocky" theme "Gonna Fly Now."

Trombonist Barry Ross remembers Maynard Ferguson, the legendary jazz trumpet player who died in August at age 78, as "a great guy, always a real gentleman."

On Sunday, Ross and the Nevada Jazz Orchestra will remember Ferguson in another way, through his music, in their "Remembering Maynard" concert at the Winchester Cultural Center.

Ross first met Ferguson in the early 1960s in Cleveland, thanks to having a friend, trumpet player Rick Kiefer, in Ferguson's band.

"I don't know how many times I ran into him," says Ross, music director of the Nevada Jazz Orchestra. "I saw the evolution of the band."

That evolution led to one of the best big bands in the country, featuring, at one time or another, Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Bob James, Slide Hampton, Wayne Shorter, Peter Erskine, Joe Zawinul and Don Ellis.

Because of bad timing, Ross says, he never got the chance to play in Ferguson's band. "He was generally a nice man," Ross says. "I haven't heard any negative stories about him."

The Nevada Jazz Orchestra will perform "Take the A Train," "Maria" from "West Side Story" and "Cruisin' for a Bluesin' " in honor of Ferguson, whose name became attached to each of those songs.

"Most of the guys in the band knew Maynard," Ross says.

Ferguson also was known for his trumpet work on "Gonna Fly Now," the theme from "Rocky."

Taking on the difficult Ferguson part in those tunes will be Tom DeLibero, a lead trumpet player with the Doc Severinsen band. Ross calls DeLibero "one of the best trumpet players" who has the ability to play Maynard's "very demanding" solos.

Besides Ferguson's work, the band will perform some original compositions by Ross, who writes most of the group's songs.

That probably will include some Latin jazz, which the band has become known for.

After the concert, copies of the group's new CD, "Como No!," which features Latin jazz and salsa tunes, will be available.

Ross calls the Nevada Jazz Orchestra "a hidden jewel" in Las Vegas.

He joined the group after moving to Las Vegas in 1992, and four years later he was asked by the group's co-founder, Walt Blanton, to take as music director.