It’s not often you get Honduras represented on the World Music stage, so its not surprising that every Honduran, his ambassador and his mother graced the cosy Union Chapel venue on a freezing London winter's evening...

Aurelio Martinez is not your typical Honduran, either. Born and bred into the endangered Garifuran community, with it’s own language and distinctly un-Central American look, you could mistake Martinez and his band for being West African. The community are descendants of Jamiacan slaves that the British decided in the late 19th century they didn’t want and simply filled boatloads out to see. They landed in Belize and Honduras and have survived as a small but fiercely proud community ever since. It is this pride and sense of identity that most emanates from Martinez’ music, which is simple and folkoric but full of flavour. Martinez’ sense of joy and pride is contagious, he was brought to this London stage, after being picked by the great Senegalese singer Ysoou N’dour as part of the Rolex mentor-prodegé programme.

Martinez does not hide his thrill and gratitude at being on a London stage for the first time and you cannot help but share his joy. The raw talent of his compatriot mucisians on stage, whose bursts of dance and drumming rituals transported the audience to the sands and palm tress of the Central Amercan Carribean, was slightly marred by the presence of the ‘producer’  swaying with no rythmn at all in the midst. Champion of Garifunan music (so he was introduced) he may well be, but never a more graceless object have I seen onstage, and looked more like a rogue audience member than part of the band. But this annoying blip, which one had to try not to look at, was redeemed by Aurelio’s mother, the epitome of grace, and herself a singer, who joined the performance. It was worth it just to see the awe and respect that this 80 year old commanded of the young male band. Hopefully next time they come she’ll still be alive and kicking and the producer they can persude to stay back stage where he belongs.