Teena Marie and Maze Rescue Johnson’s Benefit Concert

Ervin “Magic” Johnson’s annual benefit concert for United Negro College Fund, held Sunday at the Universal Amphitheatre, was one of those nights where the veterans--namely Teena Marie and Maze--had to be called in to save the game from the hapless rookies.

Az Yet, a vocal quintet from Philadelphia, whose seamless hits include Babyface-produced hits such as “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” are typical of ‘90s R&B.; They come off wonderfully in the studio, all vocal fireworks and a blend of mellifluous harmonics. But put them in front of a live audience, and they quickly lose their impact.

On Sunday, the group was frequently off-key, trying to pass off harmonic gimmicks as effective singing. They were lucky it was Universal and not Harlem’s Apollo Theatre, where there’s a tradition of pulling acts off stage if they’re not delivering.

But Teena Marie was an hour study in how passion and forceful singing can be mixed to breathtaking effect. Backed by her rock-solid band, the diminutive diva worked her way through such fan favorites as “I Need Your Lovin’ ” and “Lovergirl.”

True, there were a few off-key moments when she took chances pushing the volume of her voice past its effective limits. But she’s got such superior control that she can virtually reapproach a groove, attacking a lyric from a different harmonic angle--much the way Magic Johnson himself could read a defense and quickly pass off the ball for an easy assist.

But it was Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly, that scored big. The expert band used its more than 20 years of experience to give the crowd renewed energy. As Beverly’s silky smooth voice, which only improves with age, eased its way through hits such as “Laid-Back Girl,” “Can’t Get Over You” and “Golden Time of Day,” the music felt like warm lotion, soulful kisses and Grandma Bessie’s collard greens--the things that make life worth living.