Columnist Joe Delaney: Stars aplenty scheduled for weekend benefits

Joe Delaney

Thursday, April 26, 2001 | 8:20 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com.

April is going out in style with a number of special events, led by the Tiger Woods Foundation's "Tiger Jam IV" benefit Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in the Mandalay Bay Events Center ... Multiplatinum record-selling artists John Mellencamp and Third Eye Blind are scheduled to perform ... The Tiger Woods Foundation has reached more than 70,000 youngsters nationwide, providing role models and instructions on healthy lifestyles.

Many will spend Saturday evening with "Danny Gans and Friends" ... Gans' 8 p.m. Mirage performance will benefit the Lili Claire UNLV Life Skills Center, to enhance the lives of children with neurogenetic birth defects ... Gans will be joined onstage with performances by Coolio, the Young Dubliners and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, plus appearances by a number of popular TV and film stars.

Sunday will be equally busy with the famed Moscow Festival Ballet performing excerpts from classic ballets including "Swan Lake," "Giselle" and "Paquita" at 2 p.m. in UNLV's Ham Hall ... This concludes this season's prestigious Charles Vanda Master Series.

Our first choice Sunday: The annual Joe Williams Memorial Scholarship Fundraising Concert, 3 p.m. at the Blue Note Las Vegas, featuring Jack Jones, with Vincent Falcone conducting; Marlena Shaw with Johnny Pate conducting; Pete Barbutti as emcee, plus the CCSN All-Star Big Band under the direction of Dr. Tom Ferguson ... This is a major musical event each year and for a worthy cause.

Also on Sunday, at 4 p.m. in the Clark County Library, the Las Vegas Master Singers presents "The Wonderful World of Opera," with familiar arias and choruses from some of the world's best-known composers.

The UNLV Performing Arts Season closes with Rosemary Clooney plus Big Kahuna and the Copa Cat Pack at 2 p.m. May 13 ... Prominent musical director Falcone and Joe Cocuzzo, Tony Bennett's drummer for many years, have collaborated on an original song, "The Singer," recorded by Clooney for an upcoming album, and might perform it here.

Jazz notes: Thursday it's the Carl Lodico Big Band at Pepper's; Friday go to Pogo's; Sunday, catch the World's Smallest Jazz Band, 2-5 p.m. (Steve's Corner) and Joe Darro, Jay Orlando and the Cousins, 6-9 p.m. (Club 1030 on East Flamingo Road); Monday it's the Don Menza Big Band (Riviera) ... There is also a Jazz Caravan, 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Santa Fe Station and Wednesdays at Texas Station.

Lon Bronson has an outstanding group of musicians, playing just after midnight Saturdays in the Riviera Lounge ... At one point Bronson's groups were backing David Cassidy and Sheena Easton at the Rio and "The Rat Pack Is Back" at the Sahara ... The latter show should continue through the end of the year at least, and the band alone would be worth the cost of the show ticket.

Speaking of the Riviera, it was nice of the cast of "Splash" to visit Child Haven on the Friday before Easter ... There will be a July 1 performance of "Splash" at 7:30 p.m. to raise at least $15,000 for Child Haven ... Top choreographer Nick Navarro is revising and updating the dance segments ... The two-for-one deal at 10:30 p.m. shows for Nevadans with valid ID ends April Monday.

Star-policy rundown

It's Jerry Vale, Friday and Saturday (Boulder Station); Bill Acosta (Flamingo Las Vegas); David Brenner (Golden Nugget); Clint Holmes, evenings, and Mac King, afternoons (Harrah's); Trent Carlini (LV Hilton NightClub); Blue Man Group (Luxor); Tom Jones, plus Rick Springfield starring in "EFX Alive" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy and Gans in separate theaters (Mirage) ... There's more.

Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Kenny Kerr (New Frontier); Rita Rudner (New York-New York); Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell (Orleans); Dennis Miller (Paris Las Vegas); Barbutti (Plaza); "The Scintas" and Jeff Foxworthy, in separate theaters (Rio); the Isley Brothers (Sam's Town); Wayne Newton (Stardust); Rick Thomas (Tropicana); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic, and Andre-Philippe Gagnon (Venetian).

Official openings this week: "The Scintas," Tuesday (Rio); Rita Rudner, Wednesday (New York-New York) and a completely revised "Showgirls of Magic, Thursday (San Remo) ... Final weekend for "The Robber Bridegroom," directed by Barbara Brennan (CCSN's Nicholas J. Horn Theatre) ... "Cabaret" opens Friday for two weekends (UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre).

Ace Elvis impersonator Carlini, "The Dream King," is the third entry, along with Bob Anderson and Easton, hoping to take over the LV Hilton NightClub on a full-time basis ... See you Friday.