Review: The Geator's great pre-Motown lineup

Philadelphia DJ legend Jerry Blavat has booked and hosted Kimmel Center shows before, dedicated to the glories of rock, roll, soul, and doo-wop's past. He's featured lady singers, vocal groups and such, leaving no stone unturned in the happy excavation and continued curation of the "oldies" genre. One thing though, that was noticeably dynamic about Saturday's concert at the Kimmel - dedicated to early rock-and-roll and R&B vocalists whom the Geator believed paved the way for Motown - was that his selection of singers, each and every one, was unparalleled in execution.

Displaying the might one commanded 50-plus years ago isn't easy, given how age can ravage a voice. And nights like these, say, with vocal groups, can be unsatisfying, as many of the original members are gone. But this gig was golden top to bottom, from Mel Carter's silken rendition of his grand "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" to Gene Chandler's neo-doo-wop finale, "Duke of Earl," top hat, cane, and all.

Having a 30-piece orchestra replicate the original arrangements of each hit (Blavat's directive) maximized joy for both audience and artists. You could see Jimmy Clanton, resplendent in blue sharkskin, awed by the baritone sax-heavy orchestration as he sang "Venus in Blue Jeans." The sound all but lifted him from the stage, empowering him as well as tenor Chuck Jackson, whose gospel-ish version of "Any Day Now" had such an operatic finale it shook the room. Jackson also showed as part of Maxine Brown's fluty, chamber soul set (a jumpy "Oh No Not My Baby" was a highlight) for a graceful duet on "Daddy's Home."

Lloyd Price's set was much anticipated - the R&B growler hadn't played Philly since the '60s - and he didn't disappoint. With a bowler and a big smile, he fronted the stammering horns of "Stagger Lee," the jaunty rhythms of "Personality," and a simmering "Caldonia" with some (powder) blue jokes. But Gene Chandler was the true revelation. Strong of voice, verve and energy, he ran through the crowd after purring through a particularly in-the-pocket "Groovy Situation" to take on "Duke of Earl," accompanied by Blavat and the rest of the night's cast. Good show.