Aurelio Martinez is a Honduran

Honduras

Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

 musician and politician who is also a member of the Garifuna community. He is the first black person

Black people

The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...

 to become a deputy in the National Congress of Honduras

National Congress of Honduras

The National Congress is the legislative branch of the government of Honduras.The Honduran Congress is a unicameral legislature. The current President of the National Congress of Honduras is Juan Orlando Hernández. Its members are 128 deputies, who are elected on a proportional representation...

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His 2004 album Garifuna Soul was released internationally by Stonetree Records and won wide acclaim in world music circles. Afropop Worldwide named it a Top 10 Album of 2004 and named Martinez "newcomer of the year."

In 2011, he released an album entitled Laru Beya, which included collaboration with Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...

 and Orchestra Baobab members and a tribute to Martinez's friend, the late Andy Palacio

Andy Palacio

Andy Vivian Palacio was a Belizean Punta musician and government official. He was also a leading activist for the Garínagu and their culture.-Biography:...

. It was produced by Ivan Duran

Ivan Duran

Award-winning music producer and musician Ivan Duran is the founder and director of Stonetree Records, based in Benque Viejo del Carmen in Belize, Stonetree is one of the region’s leading independent record labels and music recording studios...

 and released on Real World Records

Real World Records

Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music.-Overview:The label grew up alongside the success of the WOMAD festivals and Peter Gabriel's exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public's...

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External Links

• Real World Records - Aurelio Artist Profile
• Guardian Review - Laru Beya
• Interview at World Music Central