Managed to convert my coat closet to my home theater closet using wood shelves. I want to paint my bare wood shelves to something like black ash similarly found on typical home theater racks. Can someone suggest a paint that will give me that same look? Is priming necessary? Thanks for any help!

If the shelves are ash or oak or even walnut, then you can "ebonize" it for a great look using black india ink, then any good clear sealer. If the sheves are pine or plywood then you might just prime and paint with black paint.

For sealers I like deft(laquer based, use in ventilated area) and polyacrylic(water based, cleans up easily) as both dry clear with no yellowing.