"Kai Wen." FAMU student Kai Wen has been writing songs since he was a little kid, and his lifelong love affair with music comes through loud and clear on this self-produced CD. Wen layered samples and live music on the disc's nine songs to make a musically cohesive statement that's jazzy, funky, soulful and altogether hip. The compositions -- which range from the bubbling opening track "Jook Joint" to more laid-back tunes like "Nichole Jean" -- are uncluttered but dense with engaging sound. You won't find the disc in local records stores -- yet. Check it out at Wen's Web site; the address is www.kaiwen.com - By KATI SCHARDL @ Tallahassee Democrat