Sanz adds substance to style

There’s hope for Alejandro Sanz. Plenty of hope.

In the past, the bombastic live performances locally by the boyishly handsome Spanish star mirrored the emotional bankruptcy of a genre -- glossy Latin pop -- that will continue to hit an aesthetic dead end as long as it forgets its own roots in favor of melodramatic hooks and obsessively polished production values.

But Sanz’s show Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim proved that the singer has persevered and even found a way out of his own songwriting cliches. The change was apparent on the songs from his aptly titled last album, “No es lo Mismo” (It’s Not the Same).

The new material brimmed with life, particularly during those moments when Sanz shared the spotlight with members of his larger-than-life 13-piece band. Take the Cuban-themed “Labana.” The tune boasts one of the most intriguing melodies Sanz has written, flavored with a salsa piano line and intelligent lyrics marked by a sweet feeling of longing.

After performing its lilting chorus, the singer invited the brass section to the front of the stage for a series of punchy saxophone, trumpet and trombone solos. Sanz strummed a guitar, remaining in the background while his lead guitarist stepped up to the mike and sang backup vocals with wild abandon.

The moment borrowed equally from arena rock and Afro-Caribbean fever -- it was memorable and intense.

Sanz went even further on the fast-paced “Try to Save Your S’ong.” Here, he included a funky rap interlude, then wrapped up the number with searing electric guitars.

When he sat down at a keyboard for a trio of acoustic solo songs, Sanz delivered easily the most poetic and compelling segment of the evening.

After experiencing these flashes of unbridled inspiration, it was easy to forget those instances when the show veered toward the more pedestrian aspects of Latin pop.

Throughout, Sanz remained his unassuming, ever-likable self. Besides possessing the kind of raspy, bohemian-sounding voice that is sure to keep impressionable young ladies sleepless for many a night, the singer projects his down-to-earth persona with such sincerity that it’s simply impossible not to like him.

So here’s a few words of advice for Mr. Sanz: Stick to your roots. Keep listening to that fiery flamenco music from your land. Bring on the electric guitars. And keep it real, man. Just keep it real.