Kai Wen

Getting old cigar boxes and stretching rubber bands across them would be my first lesson in music theory. I've been hooked on creating music ever since I got my first guitar as a kid. I was born in Tallahassee, Florida which is not really known for being a musical Mecca, but as long as the radio was working, I was cool. My Grandmothers brother had a juke joint next door to my grandmother house and on the weekends he would let me and my cousins in to play on the pool table and listen to music on the jukebox. I loved that jukebox to death. The music seemed to surround you as if the singers were in the club. That was cool for a kid in grad school to be able to listen to all the new records at his uncles club. I have the old 45 records out of the jukebox packed away. In high school my Grandmother brought me an old organ and I started to get serious about my music and started taking piano lessons. I used to work that Bossa Nova pre set rhythm until it got on my Granny’s nerves. I out grew the organ when I got hip to keyboard samplers and drum machines. I found myself writing a lot of classical music and jazzy tracks which got into the hands of some people who had connections to some film makers and I soon had my music being used in films. I'd have to say my musical inspirations are Prince, Marvin Gaye, James Moody, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, BabyFace, Sting, Stuart Matthewman, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Whenever I listen to a new piece of music it's like getting a music lesson. This is how I learn, by listening and paying attention. I'd like to work with anyone who I can learn something from about music. Hopefully with continued practice I'll be able to write a piece of music so touching that it would move someone to tears. This is not meant to be out of meanness, but rather to know that I can touch someone's heart in such a way with one of my songs that it moves the listener emotionally. That would be cool. I've found that if you're centered about what you do, and don't worry what your boys think about you, if you're just being what you are, people will gravitate toward that.