Martin's OPM binge

As the son of crooner Bert Nievera, Martin grew up listening to the great American songbook. There wasn’t much original Filipino pop music in those days. Besides being in a foreign country Bert and the Society Of Seven, did not really have much of a choice. So Martin learned to sing the standards almost by reflex action. He enjoyed it so much that it was while watching an SOS show that he decided to become a singer. “I told myself that this is what I want to do.”

Martin was introduced to original Filipino songs when he started recording in the Philippines. The meeting turned out well and Martin became a success with Vehnee Saturno’s Be My Lady and Louie Ocampo’s Say That You Love Me and others. In fact, he fully got into the act by writing lyrics to songs like Forever and You Are My Song. So what else is there for Martin to discover about OPM? He says, “Covers.”

People almost always react favorably to his singing but he noticed something else during a recent mall show to promote his new CD. The audience reaction was doubly enthusiastic when he is doing a well-loved song by another artist. “Intro pa lang ng Iisa Pa Lamang, alam na nila,” he relates with amazement. “And they were singing along!”

Iisa Pa Lamang by Danny Tan and Joey Reyes and originally by Joey Albert is the first single out of Himig Ng Damdamin. It is an excellent commercial choice that I believe widens the demographics of Martin’s following. The one that I believe came off best though is One More Try, which was written by Cecile Azarcon for Kuh Ledesma. It sounds like it waited for many years to be sung by Martin and magic happened when he did.

Himig is a good album that you can spend your money on and I do hope that Martin will do more of this OPM stuff in the future. He can even stretch his style to new limits by taking on some contemporary rockers. As for those who still like Martin singing the great American songbook, there is no need for worry. He can go from this to OPM and to others and then back again and then perhaps he will try something new.

Also included in Himig are Babalikang Muli by Regine Velasquez; Kung Ako Na Lang Sana by Bituin Escalante; Now That You’re Gone by Sharon Cuneta; Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin by Lani; Kailangan Kita by Leah Navarro; Narito by Gary Valenciano; Paalam na by Rachel Alejandro; Ayoko Na Sana by Ariel Rivera; Everyday by Agot Isidro; Before I Let You Go by Freestyle; and Beautiful Morning which in Tagalog is Umagang Kay Ganda, and was recorded by Basil Valdez and Bambi Bonus.

Incidentally, now also available is Duets In Harmony, which must be Martin’s first all-duet album. The contents vary from his recording of Ikaw with pop princess Sarah Geronimo to Thank You For Saving My Life, that Brian McKnight composed for their duet and The Greatest Love Affair, a Jeffrey Osborne song Martin recorded with his Dad and for the fans, Reunited with Pops Fernandez. The songs are beautiful but what I really like here is how Martin’s singing, so distinctively his own, easily lends itself to other styles.

Come to think of it, 2011 is fast turning out to be a big and busy year for Martin. He kicked off with the sold out What Love Is concert with Sarah last Feb. 12. Then aside from the release of these two albums, which is happened at almost the same time, there is also so much going on in his live performance department.

He is at present on tour in the US and Canada for As One with Gary Valenciano. Next is a sentimental journey to Hawaii. He will perform with the present SOS to try to save the group’s place at the Outrigger Hotel, which is in danger of being closed down after forty years. Then he is set to go on tour of the US and Canada with Sarah for What Love Is in November.

Then there will be Tribute. When he gets back in July, Martin will start work on Tribute, his one-man show at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on July 16 and 23. This will be a chance for us home bound Pinoys to watch Martin in a Vegas style performance. As the title says, most of his numbers will be tributes to other artists. It would be interesting to find out which ones he will choose and how he will make the songs his own.

Get your tickets now. Call Ticketworld, 891-9999 and Viva Concerts 687-7236. Ticket prices are: P3,500 VIP, Premiere, Left, Right and Center; De Luxe, Left and Right, P3,000; Balcony, Left, Right and Center, P2,500.