Aurelio Martinez

Aurelio Martinez is the kind of artist who makes the rest of us feel lazy and woefully mediocre -- but in, you know, the best possible way. Martinez is beloved in his native Honduras and among connoisseurs of Afro-Latin music for his sunny grooves and cascading guitar riffs. He's also a master of the rich musical traditions of the Garifuna people -- descendants of Africans who escaped slave ships and built a distinctive, diasporic culture with the local Arawakan population along the Caribbean coast of Central America. Martinez is not only widely considered heir to the throne of Garifuna great and punta rock innovator Andy Palacio, he also impressed Youssou N'Dour so much that the Afro-pop king became his mentor. Finally, with his gorgeous, multi-layered effort Laru Beya, this masterful musician can also claim the honor of releasing the second-ever album on Sub Pop's innovative world music imprint Next Ambiance. Oh yeah, and did we mention that, in his spare time, he also was elected to public office, becoming the first black deputy in the National Congress of Honduras?