Laru Beya, Aurelio’s album recorded by the beach of Africa and Belize

This weekend Aurelio Martinez will be performing at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. Aurelio is also in Belize to launch his most recent CD, which is dedicated to his close friend and icon, the late Andy Palacio. From Belize, Aurelio will continue on a world tour that will take him from the Caribbean, to the US, Europe and even the Middle East. News Five’s Jose Sanchez had a one on one interview with Aurelio, the new king of punta.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

After Andy Palacio passed away, work began on Aurelio Martinez’s album.  Now complete, the Laru Beya World Tour has come to Belize. It coincides with the release of the album of the same title that means ‘By the Beach.’ The album was composed in Honduras, on the beaches of Belize and along the Ivory Coast of Africa.

Aurelio Martinez

Aurelio Martinez, Released Laru Beya

“Everybody don’t know about the Garifuna music because the Garifuna music very different to the African music. Just very close, but we Garifuna, we feel like African. Garifuna music is totally different because Garifuna drum, they don’t have Garifuna drum in Africa—no more. Only in Central America we have Garifuna drum, so the sound different like other drums. We feel different. So when I come to Africa it is my big dream. Like Andy, we are working together; we had a dream to come to Africa; to coming back to our roots to reconnect our culture.”

Ivan Duran

Laru Beya’s consortium of African Artists includes the Senegalese World Music Icon Youssou N’ Dour.

Ivan Duran, Producer, StoneTree Records

“Last year, in Andy’s birthday, we released one of the songs from this album, “Wamada,” which means our dear friend and it came about in the original sessions in San Juan. And later on, Youssou added his voice—a very emotional part of that song where Youssou basically is calling Andy and welcomed him into Africa. He was selected for this very prestigious award which is called the Rolex Mentorship Program where basically they team up international stars with up and coming young talents for a whole year of mentorship program. So last year was Youssou N Dour, he was the mentor selected by Rolex and he handpicked Aurelio, invited him to his home in Dakkar and picked him. So Aurelio spent the whole year traveling with him around the world—he went to Brazil, he went to Switzerland, all over Europe, the states—basically just being close to the man, learning from him. At the end of that year, we decided to go to Dakkar and record there with Youssou and other talented musicians from his band and also other guest artists. We spent a whole month there recording. For the first time,West African music was being fused with Garifuna rhythms. We’re all very excited, very new—it had never been done. And again, Andy comes into play—this was one of his dreams: he always wanted to make that connection back to West Africa.”

Aurelio Martinez

“The African people play in my music, I play with Youssou N Dour around the world. In Brazil I played the Garifuna drum in his music sometime and sing it together because he sing in Wolof and I sign in Garifuna. It is close because we feel like same. It was beautiful to exchange the music. The first time we have this opportunity to exchange with other artists around the world and it is a big responsibility for me to be in front on this project because my good friend left—my good friend Andy Palacio, we are two in this project but now I am in front.”

The Honduran born Aurelio during his many trips to Dangriga has drunk the Gumagarugu Water, and considers Belize a part of his identity.

Aurelio Martinez

“Belize is my country, I feel like a Belizean because Andy Palacio opened this door for me sometime. When I come in here, Andy Palacio coming because I feel love, I feel in my heart [that] I am a Belizean too. We have a big work to do. We have special things to do in Belize to empower our countries and the culture.”

Ivan Duran

“What’s really important about Laru Beya, is that even though it’s a serious album when it comes to its story and the way he is bridging these two cultures, it is also a very happy album—a mellow, it’s a modern Paranda album that I think people who have loved him over the years and love Garifuna soul and the Paranda album will love this record as well.”

The album was completed at Stone Tree Records in Belize. Laru Beya is now available in music stores and its musical notes can be heard ‘By the Beach’ on major continents. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

The album will be sold during shows this Friday and Saturday at the Institute of Creative Arts. Aurelio will be appearing and performing on Open Your Eyes this Friday morning.