Jack Johnson stirs subtle waves of folk and reggae

Jack Johnson isn’t afraid of hero worship, especially when it comes to his own heroes. So his sold-out concert at the Greek Theatre on Friday was often less about himself than a celebration of the musicians who have influenced his disarming folk-based rock.

There were songs by Bob Marley, Taj Mahal and Jimmy Buffett and onstage appearances by contemporary heroes Ben Harper and G. Love & Special Sauce, joining Johnson for songs that were quietly emotional and rich with personality.

Johnson’s appearance at such a major venue epitomized the sudden, unlikely rise of this committed surfer and seaside folkie, who in the last year has found airplay and a broad audience for the hits “Flake” and “Bubble Toes.”

The sound was seemingly casual, but distinctive and direct, riding subtle waves of folk and reggae.

He stood with his two-man band at the very front of the stage, reaching for intimacy as surfing images were projected on a white curtain behind them. Johnson sang not about the motion of the ocean, but self-examination and quiet observation.

A stirring new song, “Times Like These,” turned topical as Johnson sang, “those for peace, those for war, a God bless these ones, but not those ones” -- this time as he stood alone, picking his acoustic guitar.

The night ended with the appearance of Harper, who reprised his explosive slide guitar on “Flake,” slapping his instrument for emphasis. Johnson watched from across the stage, shaking his head with a smile, joining the crowd for some final moments of hero worship.