The Yuletide Season is just around the corner and everyone is up to making their list of what to do and what to get their family, friends and loved ones. How about putting Martin Nievera concert tickets in your list? I know he is in my Christmas list.

Celebrate the music of Concert King Martin Nievera as he goes on stage on Dec. 21, Sunday, 6 p.m. at The Event Center of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. The concert is aptly titled "Martin Nievera in My Christmas List." It will feature Grammy nominee -- Pop, R&B singing sensation, Brian McKnight as the special guest. Musical director is Lorrie Ilustre with the Big Mouth Band. This concert is a real Christmas treat to all the concertgoers. It is definitely a must-see show where both Nievera and McKnight -- two of the grandest voices of today bring such excitement and life to virtually every popular song.

Martin Nievera's Christmas show is executive produced by Jackie Regala and Gerry Katigbak of KATZ Entertainment and Cliff Villaflor of Genesis Productions. It is also presented by Western Union Money Transfer and Seafood City Supermarket. Also sponsored by ABS-CBN / The Filipino Channel, Asian Journal Publications, Tribune USA , Max's of Manila and CarouselPinoy.com and Gerry's Grill of Cerritos. For information about the concert, you may call KATZ at 562-219-7235/ 562-787-9030 or Genesis at 626-272-2754 / 626-236-4971. Or check out the ad on this web site. Tickets are available online at www.tiketanonline.com.

During the show, Martin will croon his way through your hearts with his OPM signature hits, teleserye theme songs as well as the latest Christmas cuts in his album titled "My Christmas List." Martin's Christmas album is such a fast seller that it is now considered the hottest Holiday album selling in the Philippines today. The carrier single of which is "Pasko Na Sinta Ko."

"My Christmas List" is made up of 18 songs, old and new. The album is the perfect showcase of Martin's power to express his songs straight from his heart. Also featured is Martin's own composition, "Can't Stop Christmas." Culled from the same album are "Give Love on Christmas Day;" "What Child is This; "Blue Christmas;" "Nakaraang Pasko;" "My Heart's Song;" "White Christmas;" "Christmas Love," a duet with Alex Godinez; "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year;" "All I Want This Christmas;" "Forever I Am Yours;" "Lift Up Your Hands;" "My Grown Up Christmas List;" "In Christ Alone;" "Celebrate Me Home;" "It's Just Another New Year's Eve;" and "Maligaya Sana ang Pasko."

In a recently-published review from music critic, Baby Gil, Martin earned the former's rave by writing: "Because Martin spent his childhood in the US, although most of it was in Hawaii, this is one Christmas CD by a Filipino artist where "White Christmas" blends well with the Tagalog songs. He sounds like he would really enjoy getting a white Christmas, and at the same time stays a Filipino. Martin does a beautiful "Pasko Na Sinta Ko" and his "Maligaya Sana ang Pasko" is particularly heartwrenching. His choice for a single is also in Tagalog, "Nakaraang Pasko," an early work by Tats Faustino that was first recorded by Kuh Ledesma.

Martin proudly shows off his three sons in the album. Santino's laughter highlights "Celebrate Me Home" while Robin and Ram sing along in "Forever I Am Yours." The song is Robin's composition. He arranged it with Albert Tamayo and he played the electric guitar in the recording. His attempt to get his Dad to try something different is admirable.

On the other hand, the Martin Nievera Christmas show at Morongo Casino is made doubly exciting as Brian Mcknight shares the stage with the former. McKnight's musical career began with a musical childhood, in which he was a member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church choir and a band leader in high school at Sweet Home High School in Amherst, New York.

Encouraged by his older brother Claude's band, Take 6, getting a record deal, McKnight sent out demo tapes and, at the age of 19, signed his first recording deal with Mercury Records subsidiary Wing Records. However, He ended up recording his albums for Mercury, released his first album, Brian McKnight, in 1992. He went on to release three more albums for Mercury records before moving to Motown Records. His final album with Mercury Records, Anytime sold over two million copies and was nominated for a Grammy.

In 1999, McKnight released Back at One (his second release from Motown; after the Christmas album Bethlehem), which sold over three million copies. Throughout his career he has collaborated with a variety of musicians including Mase, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Ivete Sangalo, Kirk Franklin, For Real, Canibus, Quincy Jones, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Shoshana Bean, Mariah Carey, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Rascal Flatts and Josh Groban (on his 2007 #1 Christmas album Noël).

McKnight's vocal style is his own. He does however draw heavily (particularly in his use of melisma) from Stevie Wonder and Michael Sembello. Echoes of Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Take 6 founder Claude V McKnight can also be heard in McKnight's voice.

McKnight also has an uncanny ability to mimic the timbre and style of other singers . He can do a spot on imitation of Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Prince and feels comfortable singing songs written in higher keys.

Brian currently hosts a radio show, The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott on KTWV The Wave in Los Angeles, CA.. In October 2007, McKnight had his debut on Broadway in the show Chicago. He is also a recipient of the "Favorite Male R & B/ Soul Artist" from the American Music Awards; Outstanding Male Artist in "Back at One" given by Image Awards and "Best R & B Soul Male Album" for "Anytime."

Incidentally, also guesting in the concert are Stephanie Reese and introducing, RJ dela Fuente.

So, if your are making a list and checking it twice, make sure Martin Nievera and Brian McKnight are on top of it!

(Ed’s note: Jackie Regala-Katigbak has been writing and doing promotions in the entertainment business since the 1980s. The past two decades saw her columns and articles published in the Philippines via the Manila Bulletin, Panorama, Manila Standard and Philippine Times Journal. Currently her articles are published by www.CarouselPinoy.com, the Asian Journal publications and in various newspapers in Southern California. For correspondence, you may send her an email at JackieRegala@verizon.net Thank you.)