Nevada Jazz Orchestra plays Sunday at Winchester Cultural Center

By Jerry Fink

Thursday, May 14, 2009 | 2:18 p.m.

For the first time in almost a year, the 18-piece Nevada Jazz Orchestra will perform a concert Sunday.

Formed in 1992, the orchestra is one of the most critically acclaimed big bands in Nevada.

The concert will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday at Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Ave.

The band is led by composer/arranger Barry Ross and features some of the most fiery soloists in Las Vegas.

The concert will feature Ross’ arrangement of Horace Silver’s funky, rocking “Sister Sadie,” as well as Silver’s classic “Nica’s Dream.”

Ross wrote “Searching My Soul” to feature alto saxophonist Philip Wigfall, and the band will play some new Ross pieces, such as “Platonicity” and a ballad that will feature trombonist Curt Miller.

Ross will also present a new arrangement of Juan Tizol’s “Caravan,” written when Tizol was a member of Duke Ellington’s orchestra.

The Nevada Jazz Orchestra was created as a project of the Las Vegas Jazz Society, which will co-sponsor the concert with Clark County’s Division of Parks and Recreation.

The orchestra released the CD, “Como No!”, two years ago, showcasing the Cuban and Brazilian influences of its popular Latin Connection concerts.

The trumpets, trombones and reeds of the orchestra are anchored by a rhythm section of pianist Dave Loeb, bassist Jeff Davis and drummer John Abraham.