As he readies himself for the July 22 release of his eponymous debut CD on Smooth Sounds Records, saxophonist Curtis Haywood is concretely putting his money where his heart is by donating a portion of his sales to two causes: Feed the Children (www.feedthechildren.org) and Self Help Africa (http://www.selfhelp.ie/selfhelp/Main/ethiopiadrought.htm). Haywood will donate 1/12 of the sales price of the twelve-track CD, tied to his original composition, "Rain Song," which fully expresses Haywood’s dedication to music as a healing force. "There is overwhelming evidence of Ethiopia being the cradle of all mankind. Simply put, all human life could very well have begun from this region of the earth. However, it is ravaged with famine and considered one of the world’s poorest countries, where people struggle daily for their most basic of needs," he explains.

Feed The Children helps supply food for the people of Ethiopa and around the globe, while Self Help Africa Self Help Africa is an international development agency engaged in promoting and implementing sustainable development programs in rural Africa.

A collection of fresh contemporary jazz originals and soulful interpretations of R&B standards, the CD’s opening track, "Anytime," speaks volumes of Haywood’s musical affinity for his namesake, the legendary R&B saxophonist King Curtis. Also covered are Stevie Wonder’s "Creepin’" and the well-known Bobby Hebb classic, "Sunny." Haywood’s original compositions speak eloquently of the man behind the music, among them the rhythmic and soulful "Rain Song," and the lyrical, buoyant "Heal Our Land," which was, says Haywood, originally written in response to 9/11, but fully coalesced into a song of hope, expressed by the voices of a children’s chorus, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Joining Haywood on the CD are a collection of some stalwart players in the jazz, gospel and R&B worlds, among them bassist Artie Reynolds (Kirk Whalum, Alicia Keys, Keith Sweat, Alex Bugnon.) Also on board are Ainsley Taylor on drums, Chris Fischer on keys, Willie Brown on guitar, and Paul Aponte on percussion.

"Rain Song," which has already been released as a single, reached #7 on smoothjazz.com's Indie chart, and #28 on the Radio and Records Indicator chart.

Curtis Haywood will be released on July 22, and is distributed by Innovative Distribution Network via Megawave Records. For additional information, please visit www.curtishaywood.com and www.myspace.com/curtishaywood.