The heart of every song on LARU BEYA beats a traditional Garifuna rhythm. However, beyond the beauties of Garifuna tradition and Aurelio's striking interpretations lie the true guiding force behind the album: The loss his late friend and mentor, Garifuna musical icon, Andy Palacio. Palacio, won regional popularity as the powerhouse behind punta rock, a Garifuna-rock synthesis that broke onto the Central American scene in the 1990's. International acclaim followed with an award-winning album in 2007 that truly put Garifuna music on the map. A mere month after Andy's death, Aurelio and producer Ivan Duran, headed for a small fishing village, where they set up a studio in a beachfront house. Recording and living by the sea for several weeks, they were still in grief and shock, yet they knew they had to do something amazing to honor Palacio's life and work. Aurelio was able to explore the Garifuna connection to Africa when Senegalese Afropop legend Youssou NDour selected him as his protigi in 2008. N'Dour encouraged Martinez to channel his virtuosity, to balance his evanescent stage presence with reserve until just the right moment. N'Dour also contributed his unique vocal abilities to several songs on LARU BEYA.