Jason Mraz

They’re crawling out of the woodwork these days, young hipsters with acoustic guitars and notebooks filled with half-formed songs and fully plotted album concepts. Itching to find a place for themselves among all the David Grays and Howie Days, they dream of catching a high-profile patron’s eye. Dave Matthews seems to have the Midas touch, tapping one aspiring artist after another in order to speed up the agonizingly slow process of discovery. His latest protégé, Jason Mraz, spent a short time busking in New York before diving into Southern California’s meat-grinder music scene. With a knack for quirky hooks and a penchant for peer-bashing (just ask John Mayer), Mraz has already found his niche.