At the Mann, Philly’s Jill Scott brought sizzle to WDAS Summer Block Party packed with local favs

Afternoon showers didn’t stop thousands from gathering at Mann Center for the Performing Arts for WDAS’ second annual Summer Block Party Saturday evening, but prevented ’90s rapper Mase’s appearance. Fans didn’t seem to mind, as a lineup of hometown favorites, headlined by Jill Scott and including DJ D-Nice, Musiq Soulchild and Jazmine Sullivan, delivered memorable performances.

While some audience members found their seats, others danced in the aisles to the music of neo-soul veteran Soulchild. He sang a slew of his hits, such as “Halfcrazy” and “Love." It is clear that some of his songs from 1999 still resonate with audiences today. Soulchild dedicated his first single, “Just Friends,” to his “day one″ fans, who swayed and sang to the melodies with their arms outstretched. At the end of his set, Soulchild joined in a pitch-perfect a cappella with his background singers.

After Soulchild’s set, DJ D-Nice took the stage with a set that brought the audience into a funky groove of ’80s and ’90s R&B and hip-hop. He opened his set with the obligatory Maze and Frankie Beverly classic “Before I Let Go,” and kept the energy high with such songs as Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody,” Luther Vandross’ “Never Too Much,” and Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk?” In a tan, wide-brimmed fedora, D-Nice provided the quintessential soundtrack of a soulful backyard barbecue.

The show moved along with a performance from R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan, who opened with an explosive rendition of “Bust Your Windows.”

It was clear that Sullivan’s vocal abilities were stellar, despite shoddy audio production. She took to the stage in a color-blocked bodysuit paired with black sneakers as she belted out the lyrics to “Lions, Tigers, and Bears” and “Holding You Down.” Her up-tempo songs weren’t as suited to the acoustics of the Mann as much as the ballads were. Sullivan was able to showcase her vocal agility in such songs as “Forever Don’t Last,” the high point of her set. At the end of the song, Sullivan scatted over a guitar, hitting the high peaks of her falsetto while reaching for the low, deep, sultry notes of the bottom register she’s known for. Her set took a few minutes to warm up, but took off once it did.

After about an hour, headliner Scott slowly glided onto the Persian rugs laid out onstage, wearing embellished braids, a green paisley-print top and high-waisted, wide-legged trousers. Before she had even finished her opening number, “Gimmie," she took off her shoes and uttered an expression of relief. Scott expertly tore through her songs, such as the crowd-pleasing “The Way” and “So in Love." Scott didn’t face the same technical difficulties as Sullivan, but she expressed the same love for her city.

“My left eye keeps tearing,” Scott said, dabbing her face with a small cloth. “It must know that I’m in Philly."