Diana Ross would shine brighter with more brass

The Kats! Bureau hit the Diana Ross show at Venetian Theater this week. Snap review:

Ross is a radiant, precision performer. She sings and smiles beautifully, reciting her songs as if each show is her last. “Upside Down” and a show-closing “I Will Survive” gets the crowd grooving every time. And, as anticipated, Ross dresses the part. Her Swarovski-splashed gowns, especially the gleaming white number at the end of the show, are truly staggering.

But what happened to our horn section? In previous performances at the Venetian, Ross enlisted a four-piece troupe with veteran lead saxophonist John Scarpulla joined by Vegas players Danny Falcone on trumpet, Eric Tewalt on baritone sax and Nathan Tanouye on trombone. Only Scarpulla remains in the current production, reportedly a financial rather than artistic adjustment.

The three Vegas players, all members of the Celine Dion orchestra at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns, are missed. They are great guys, great players, and great Vegas success stories. Maybe next time, eh?

More from the scene:

BALDWINS DIVORCING

One of the city’s foremost power couples, Bobby Baldwin and his wife, Audra Baldwin, are reportedly divorcing. Word is that the split is amicable, and the couple wish to keep details private. The Baldwins were married Aug. 12, 2012 at their Southern Highlands estate, and have been a couple since 2006.

Bobby Baldwin is the president and chief operating officer of City Center, a veteran Las Vegas resorts exec who has also operated Golden Nugget, Mirage and Bellagio and also won the 1978 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe. Audra Baldwin is a member of the Miss Nevada America Board of Trustees and a supporter of several Las Vegas charities, including the Keep Memory Alive/Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Nevada Ballet Theatre.

SANTANA STRIKES A CHORD

Carlos Santana caused a boomlet Monday in an interview following Sunday’s Grammy Awards telecast. The guitar great and headliner at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay told the Australian Associated Press that Adele had claimed the Album of the Year prize for “25,” over Beyonce’s favored “Lemonade,” for her pure singing ability.

“I think that Adele won because she can sing, sing,” Santana told the AAP. “With all respect to our sister Beyonce, Beyonce is very beautiful to look at and it’s more like modelling kind of music - music to model a dress - she’s not a singer, singer, with all respect to her.” The comments, which seemed to indicate Beyonce didn’t deserve the award, swiftly spread internationally.

On Tuesday, Santana issued a clarification on his Facebook page:

“My intent was to congratulate Adele on her amazing night at the Grammies [sic]. My comment about Beyonce was regretfully taken out of context. I have the utmost respect for her as an artist and a person. She deserves all the accolades that come her way. I wish Beyonce and her family all the best.”

Santana is currently promoting his upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. He’s back at House of Blues on May 17.

QUICK QUIZ

Which longtime Las Vegas showman has played the Dunes, the Rio, Suncoast, South Point and Colorado Belle over the course of his career (answer below).

OH! KAYE!

Former “Million Dollar Quartet” cast member Martin Kaye is booked for at 8 p.m. March 8 at The Space. Kaye played Jerry Lee Lewis in the rock ‘n’ roll musical’s entire four-year run at Harrah’s Showroom. Kaye has previously performed an autobiographical production titled “Odd Socks,” for his penchant for mismatching footwear, but has yet to name this new show.

Kaye has also recently shaved his head (or, maybe had someone do that for him) and actually looks a bit intimidating, like British Dana White.

SPEAKING OF BALD …

We’re shaving my head for St. Baldrick’s again this year, for March 11 event at the New York-New York Brooklyn Bridge at Nine Fine Irishmen. This is the fifth consecutive “Shave-A-Thon” for which I’ve volunteered, and the shaver this year is Melody Sweets of “Absinthe.”

My followers on Twitter (@JohnnyKats) will find my donation at www.stbaldricks.org. The “Shave-A-Thon” at McMullan’s Irish Pub, where the St. Baldricks’s event started in 2007, is March 3-4.

Also, we’re raising money for St. Baldrick’s on Feb. 26 at my annual birthday celebration at Kenny Davidsen’s “Playlist” show at Tuscany Suites’ Copa Room. The theme is “One Card Short of a Full Deck,” for my 51st, and the songs being played are all inspired by playing cards (Neil Diamond, Jack White, Heart, Queen and such). Doors at 9 p.m., no cover, and all we ask for is a donation to my St. Baldrick’s page. No gifts to me. Donate instead. We’re planning specialty cocktails (including non-alcoholic, fizzy water-infused libations), with proceeds going to the charity, and some sort of a red carpet, too.

Thus far, the list of singers lined up (tentative, as always) includes Clint Holmes, Frankie Moreno, Franky Perez, Niki Scalera, Skye Dee Miles, Jassen Allen, Rita Davidsen, Enoch Augustus Scott, Eric Sean, Tony Davich, Lannie Counts, Stephanie Sanchez, Sarah Hester Ross, Dennis Blair, Reckless In Vegas, Zowie Bowie, Rockie Brown with Jason Tanzer, Jerry Jones, Joe DiNunzio, and — wait for it — boxing broadcasting legend Al Bernstein. More will be added, too. It’s going to be a whole thing, approaching epic …

THEISMANN’S SHOT OF ‘ABSINTHE’

In Wednesday’s column, I’d reported former NFL great and current broadcaster Joe Theismann was in Sunday’s audience at “Absinthe.” He actually attended Saturday’s show.

THE ANSWER …

Earl Turner, whose entry into Southern Nevada was a run at Colorado Belle in Laughlin in 1989. His show “The Journey” at South Point Showroom is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.