Donavon Frankenreiter is a surfer-turned-musician who mines the early 70s folk-blues-soul-pop vein—a niche market that has become quite the fad these days thanks to retro guys like Ray LaMontagne and Marc Broussard. If this overlooked genre has a designated godfather, it would be Stephen Stills, who Frankenreiter seems most influenced by. He’s got the sandy voice, the worn denim, the acoustic guitar, and the nostalgic warmth, but mixed with the soulfully nonchalant delivery of Boz Scaggs and Curtis Mayfield. His latest album, Pass It Around, is full of all the feel-good melodies—songs about relishing in happiness and wanting happiness for others (“Life, Love & Laughter”, “Sing A Song”). But it breaks away from the Jack Johnson-ish monotony of his past work by diving even further into the 1970s via bold, full-band production. This is due, in no small part, to the presence of my Morning Jacket producer Joe Chiccarelli—a guy who knows a thing or two about making the past sound fresh again.

Wed., March 4, 8 p.m., 2009