A Unilateral, Bilingual Success

In his first Southern California concert after becoming a (insert drum roll here) “crossover phenomenon,” Marc Anthony was received with hysterical fervor Monday at the Wiltern Theatre. His predominantly Latino audience seemed equally comfortable with his salsa and his mainstream pop material.

His current tour finds Anthony at the pinnacle of a career that began less than 10 years ago when the New York-born singer recorded a salsa version of Juan Gabriel’s “Hasta que te Conoci.” Three best-selling albums later, he was ready for the English-language market, and with the release last year of “Marc Anthony,” he joined Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias at the forefront of a new generation of bilingual superstars ready to please both Spanish- and English-speaking consumers.

Anthony’s brand of salsa can’t rival the streetwise flavor of dozens of other outfits in the genre--Oscar D’Leon, Bamboleo, Tony Vega, Joe Arroyo and Gilberto Santa Rosa, et al--who will probably never achieve similar commercial heights. But he has found a commercial formula to make salsa more palatable to an audience unfamiliar with the real thing, yet immensely savvy as far as the latest trends in pop technology go.

Most of his Spanish-language songs begin with a syrupy intro, heavy on the synthesizers and acoustic guitar. The first verse usually sounds uninspired, almost hesitant, devoid of the hot combustion that defines your average Afro-Cuban tune. So when the chorus arrives, heavy on brass riffs, melodramatic chords and Anthony’s powerful, throaty voice, it offers an involving, often cathartic experience.

This strategic design worked particularly well Monday in two songs from his second Spanish album, 1995’s “Todo A Su Tiempo.” Extended versions of “Hasta Ayer” and “Nadie Como Ella” were simply electrifying, a happy marriage between Afro-Cuban fundamentals and glossy pop confection.

Anthony was also helped greatly by a superb, 17-piece band (including formidable bandleader Jimmy Bosch on trombone). The group was able to switch effortlessly from salsa to the operatic pop of his most recent album, which alternates between breathy ballads and gently upbeat numbers enhanced by a sporadic Latin tinge.

Slick pop alone does not a superstar make, however, and the key to Anthony’s popularity lies in the likable, guy-next-door, ultra-romantic persona he exhibited throughout the show. Standing timidly in front of his adoring fans, scrambling for a few words of thanks between numbers, he appeared almost surprised to be there.

Anthony’s lyrics explore trite themes of romantic epiphany, longing and abandonment. But the sincerity that accompanies them makes the fans melt. In this day and age, honest sentiment is a rare gift indeed, and Anthony’s musical statement is completely devoid of hypocrisy. He ended Monday’s show with “I Need to Know,” the funkiest and most interesting moment from the new album, sending the crowd into a renewed dancing frenzy that even his hottest salsa numbers weren’t able to ignite.