Martin rated ‘B’ in Las Vegas

As I was saying, the new twist in Martin Nievera’s love life will not and should not adversely affect nor diminish his achievement in Las Vegas where he just concluded a series of shows at the famous Golden Nugget (without an "s"), the first Filipino artist to ever pulled that feat, with flying colors!

Martin came home triumphant on Philippine Airlines flight PR 103 this morning from Los Angeles (along with Gary Valenciano, who also did a series of shows in various parts of the show, and wife Angeli and two of their children), so I’m leaving Martin to "tangle" with the media regarding what many people good-humoredly call his "latest romantic adventure" – you know, his breakup with Katrina Ojeda, his girlfriend of seven years, with one-time TV "weather girl" Cutie del Mar rumored to be the "third party."

Even as we curiously peep into Martin’s private life, we should commend the man for giving the country singular (I should say unprecedented) honor, thus paving the way for other Filipino artists who dream of penetrating the US music market.

As I mentioned yesterday, Martin was rated "B" by respected Las Vegas music critic Mike Weatherford who is noted (notorious?) for being "stingy" with such high ratings. As requested by Funfare readers, I am printing the full review by Weatherford, published in a Las Vegas newspaper, headlined Nievera Has a Chance at a Fresh Start and subtitled Versatile Filipino superstar leans on sentimentality in Golden Nugget Show. Here it is:

Martin Nievera is trying to find success in America after years as a star in the Philippines. He performs at the Golden Nugget.

In an era when there’s as much effort put into marketing music as performing it, we have to go all the way to the Philippines to find a singer who simply gets to sing.

As a TV host with a 20-year pop history in the islands, Martin Nievera has a lot of baggage back home. But he’s able to leave most of it behind and travel with a carry-on for his current stint at the Golden Nugget.

Working to introduce himself to new casino audiences, Nievera ignores the bulk of his own pop career to spread himself across the musical board in a way no male singer coming here as a concert act could ever get away with.

That means back-to-back renditions of otherwise unrelated songs by one-hit wonders: A bouncy, into-the-crowd version of the Spiral Staircase standard More Today Than Yesterday, followed by the Skylark-to-Shania Twain chestnut Wildflower.

It also means someone who is a mere 41 paying homage to Sammy Davis Jr. by covering What Kind of Fool Am I? and doing Corner of the Sky from Pippin along with the obligatory Andrew Lloyd Webber tribute.

Granted, there can be such a thing as too much freedom.

If you’ve never heard You’ll Never Walk Alone outside of Carousel or the Jerry Lewis telethon, you’re going to hear it here. And if that’s not far enough over the top, it’s going to be followed immediately by Climb Ev’ry Mountain in Nievera’s Broadway medley.

But don’t run screaming yet. Most of it’s a joy to hear from a full-voiced baritone not yet compromised by age or the relentlessly dry Las Vegas air.

Moreover, Nievera has the personality to sell his shamelessly sentimental leanings. They call him The Concert King in the Philippines, but in Las Vegas he’s more a child of the showroom tradition than the "Hello, Cleveland" school of arena rock.

Nievera’s father (Bert Nievera) was a long time member of the variety act Society of Seven, and in this show he paid frequent homage to Harrah’s Las Vegas headliner Clint Holmes.

You can see both influences in his riotous imitation of Johnny Mathis covering Nelly’s Hot in Here, or by the way he chats up the crowd. "By the end of this evening, I will know everyone’s name," he says at one point.

And he’s honest to a fault, admitting how jealous he is of classically styled pop singer Josh Groban and "the music I wish was mine."

"He’s bringing back the ballads," Nievera says to set up covers of Groban’s You’re Still You and The Prayer. "That was my dream 20 years ago."

Nievera does wisely sprinkle the set with some of his own hits, including the power ballad Be My Lady, and two semirockers, Please Don’t Throw My Love Away and You’re on the Right Track. The latter two sound too ’80s – like Journey or something from the Footloose soundtrack – but at least let a couple of guitar solos assert themselves amid the three keyboardists who dominate the six-piece, mostly local band.

The set is nonetheless in need of such individual stamps; perhaps Nievera should have included some of his current collaborations with Brian McKnight on his new album Chasing Time. Another idea would be to spend more time explaining the Filipino hits and putting his self-penned tunes into context, as he does for the theatrical ballad One More War.

He might get another chance to iron out the kinks. Joe Leone, the Golden Nugget’s entertainment director, is committed to bringing him back next year, when Nievera can find time between more lucrative tour dates to continue this worthy labor of love.

What Jayda has done to mom and dad

Life for Dingdong Avanzado and wife Jessa Zaragoza has drastically changed with the birth last June l, two weeks ahead of schedule, of their first child, Janelle Amanda Loyola Avanzado (nicknamed Jayda), at 8:46 a.m. at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, all of six pounds and 10 ounces. (The baby’s OB-Gyne is Dr. Margarita Agdamag and her pediatrician is Dr. Alex Tuazon.)

"We dropped everything" said Dingdong who shares with Jessa (still recovering from the Caesarian section) the "conjugal" chores of changing Jayda’s diapers, preparing her feeding bottles and singing lullabies to put her to sleep especially when she wakes up at ungodly hours.

"Our life revolves around her. We don’t mind at all even if we keep irregular hours at palagi kaming puyat."

Dingdong was beside Jessa during her delivery, recording on video every moment of the event.s

"Now I know what they meant when they said that when a woman gives birth, she has one foot in her grace," added Dingdong. "Talaga palang 50/50 ang buhay ng nanganganak. Something could go wrong during the delivery, you know, and cost her her life."

With Dingdong and Jessa during those memorable moments were Jessa’s mom, Eileen, and Dingdong’s mom, Carina.

"I cried when I saw Jayda come out. I was overwhlemed with indescribable joy. Being part of the miracle of giving life gave me a wonderful feeling."

From Mayor Binay, with concern

Meanwhile, here’s a reaction letter from Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, addressed to Rio Diaz-Cojuangco:

Ms. Rio Diaz-Cojuangco

c/o Hon. Carlos O. Cojuangco, Representative Fourth District, Negros Occidental House of Representative, Batasan Hills, Quezon City

Dear Ms. Diaz-Cojuangco:

With great relief, I learned about your miraculous recovery from a 10-day coma last January through Mr. Ricky Lo’s column in The Philippine STAR issue of May 19, 2003.

As I read through the article, I could only marvel, with deep admiration, at your admirable courage and resilience in the face of this most difficult period in your life.

Indeed, you are a genuin "living heroine" whose unwavering faith and complete trust in the Lord truly serves as a well-spiring of hope and inspiration for any person, especially those who might otherwise be driven to desperation by the major difficulties they face.

On behalf of my family – my wife Ellen, and our children – I send you our fondest regards, along with our fervent prayers for your full recovery. May you continue to be blessed with such boundless optimism you so naturally exude.

Please extend our warmest greetings to your husband Charlie and your two lovable children.

May God bless you all!
Very truly yours,
– JEJOMAR C. BINAY
City Mayor

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])