Raised in a musical family, he launched his professional career at age of 8 in Los Angeles, playing clarinet for the L.A. County Parks and Recreation Youth Orchestra.

Gross continued to work in top-level bands in the early '60s, touring with Lionel Hampton, Johnny Mathis, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman.

[2] Gross spent five years (1967–1972) as house band member at Shelly Manne's Hollywood club, "Shelly's Manne-Hole," playing opposite such jazz greats as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Abbey Lincoln, Muddy Waters, Gary Barone, Mike Wofford, and Dave Parlato.

Among the countless other musicians Gross has played, toured and/or recorded with are Earl Grant, Oliver Nelson, Don Ellis, Gerald Wilson, Bill Holman, Alan Jones Sextet, Piotr Wojtasik, and Gordon Lee.

He has also performed with Rosemary Clooney, Nancy King, Diana Krall, Freddie Hubbard, Larry Young, Donald Bailey, Drew Gress, Dave Holland, Cubby O'Brien, Russ Morgan, Kay Kyser, Lennon Sisters, Roger Williams, Ernie Andrews, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Brad Turner, Carole King, Belinda Underwood, Glen Moore, Gary Versace, Israel Annoh, Pat Coleman, Alain Jean-Marie, The Hitchens Consort, Larry Koonse, The Belmondo Brothers, and Francois Theberge.