Martin Nievera celebrates 3 decades of music with 3D Tatlong Dekada

Martin Nievera

A career spanning 30 years clearly calls for a celebration. And Martin Nievera, known in the Philippine music industry as The Concert King, chose to celebrate this milestone by coming out with a new album entitled 3D Tatlong Dekada released by Polyeast Records. While most artists prefer to celebrate similar career milestones by looking back and releasing a best of compilation, Martin achieves both by looking towards the future and acknowledging the past through this new release. 3D Tatlong Dekada is a CD/DVD package featuring 17 CD audio tracks made up of 14 new compositions and just 3 cover versions. The DVD on the other hand is a compilation of 15 music videos that Martin has done in the past.

The cover versions included in the album were all featured in television series: Pangako, written by Ogie Alcasid that was featured in Walang Hanggan, the song Times of Your Life, was featured in Lorenzo’s Time while After All, a duet with Vina Morales, is currently featured in the series A Beautiful Affair. The new material in the album feature songs that Martin co-wrote with the likes of Marvin Querido and Joey Benin. The lead single, Ipadarama, written by Francis Salazar, can be heard on several local radio stations.

It’s been 30 years since Martin’s illustrious career started with the song Be My Lady and the album Martin… Take One. Since then, he has followed it up with over two dozen albums, television shows, movies, and countless concert performances that led him to be dubbed as The Concert King and one of the pillars of OPM. A recent undertaking for Martin was being a mentor/judge at the recently concluded Philippine version of X-Factor. And this has driven him to push for more new material. And the album 3D Tatlong Dekada is certainly going in that direction.

Martin Nievera at Radio Republic’s Muchikahan

I really took the time to drop by Radio Republic when Martin Nievera was the guest at the station’s Muchikahan program hosted by Ryan Cayabyab and Jay Durias. During the show, I was immediately reminded how I used to stay up late just to watch Martin After Dark. Time hasn’t diminished his sense of humor and he was his usual hilarious "MAD man" self at Muchikahan even taking a jab at the Folk Arts Theater that stinks. It made me wonder if anyone else still uses that venue for shows. He also brought along with him two X-Factor contestants over at Radio Republic, Gabriel Maturan (who ended up as runner up) and eventual winner KZ Tandingan who both savored every moment that they’ve had at the studio. Martin also fulfilled the two young singers’ wish when they were able not just to meet but to jam as well with one of their idol Jay Durias.

I also took the opportunity to have Martin write in my notebook as well. He wrote that “music blogged, is music saved. music saved is music loved. music loved is OPM!” Three of Martin's  performances  from Muchikahan can be viewed at the archive section of Radio Republic.

"music loved is OPM!"

3D Tatlong Dekada the CD/DVD package is available at record stores nationwide. Ipadarama and the rest of the CD tracks are available as digital downloads via MyMusicStore Philippines. Thanks once again to Polyeast Records and Radio Republic.

3D Tatlong Dekada

CD Tracks:

1. Magic

2. Ipadarama

3. Wala Nang Magagawa

4. Far Away

5. Only in My Dreams

6. Panaginip

7. After All this Time

8. Carry On

9. Are We Really Praying

10. Pangarap Ko ay Magpakailanman

11. Take Off

12. Ikaw Kailanman

13. On My Own

14. Pangako

15. Pag-Ibig Ko’y Ikaw

16. After All (duet with Vina Morales)

17. Times of Your Life

DVD Tracks:

1. Iisa Pa Lamang

2. You’re All I Need

3. Maybe This Time

4. Pasko na Sinta Ko

5. Hard Habit to Break

6. Right Here Waiting

7. When I Met You

8. Goodbye (duet with Pops Fernandez)

9. Just the Way You Are

10. Times of Your Life

11. Never Say Goodbye

12. Hanggang Ngayon

13. The Promise

14. You are My Song

15. You’re My Everything