Seven years ago, Waldemar Bastos' gently soaring voice reached America on "Pretaluz," but he avoided recording again until recently. While the title of his new disc conveys rebirth, the word applies equally to national healing and artistic renewal. Bastos returned to Angola in 2003 after its civil war, and his songs are inspired prayers for the country's future. A traditional Angolan three-guitar group showcases the different musical influences that Bastos gleaned as an international exile, including a Turkish string section. At the end, Jamaican vocalist Chaka Demus adds his own toasting.

-Aaron Cohen