You Oughta Know : Gary Clark Jr.

It seems his collaborations - in the studio and on stage, with Nas, Alicia Keys, the Roots and Eric Clapton - and the ear-bending, cross-format embrace of his debut "Bright Lights EP" were only an appetizer for Gary Clark Jr.'s potential. Now on the heels of his debut album "Blak And Blu," one thing is clear about the triple-threat guitar-slinger, emotive singer and involving songwriter from Austin, Texas: he's a special kind of talent. Thoroughly studied in Blues, Clark Jr.'s early mentors taught him about moving beyond the genre's legends, both going back to the originators who influenced them, but also embracing the spirit of innovation that separated such groundbreakers as Cream and the Stones from the crowd. But it all comes very naturally to the young m... Moreğ

It seems his collaborations - in the studio and on stage, with Nas, Alicia Keys, the Roots and Eric Clapton - and the ear-bending, cross-format embrace of his debut "Bright Lights EP" were only an appetizer for Gary Clark Jr.'s potential. Now on the heels of his debut album "Blak And Blu," one thing is clear about the triple-threat guitar-slinger, emotive singer and involving songwriter from Austin, Texas: he's a special kind of talent. Thoroughly studied in Blues, Clark Jr.'s early mentors taught him about moving beyond the genre's legends, both going back to the originators who influenced them, but also embracing the spirit of innovation that separated such groundbreakers as Cream and the Stones from the crowd. But it all comes very naturally to the young musician who always honors feel over chops, despite his virtuoso standing. The results of his music are sonic journeys that are equally soulful and psychedelic, and watching him jam is nothing less than thrilling. Already being compared to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, even the Commander-In-Chief agrees with all the acclaim; at the White House command performance for the Obamas alongside Mick Jagger, B.B. King, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy, the President remarked, "He's the future."ĞLess