You know how your head always starts bobbing and your toes start tapping whenever you hear that certain song? Maybe it’s a Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis or Chuck Berry tune. Whatever it is, it makes you want to move. Daddy Rabbit falls into this category.

Songwriter Robert Jacobs also writes catchy, poppy love songs with local band Long Tall and Ugly and folky roots music for Crooked River, but Daddy Rabbit gets him to the source of his love for music.

“I wanted to get back to what I felt was the origin of rock and roll,” he says. “As I went through my record collection, the stuff that sang to me, literally, sang in my heart, was the Roy Orbison, Fats Domino kind of stuff.”

Along with Jacobs on guitar is drummer Steve Wright and bassist Marty Gerber. The trio formed in August 2013 and recently recorded 16 songs to be released in spring. Jacobs says people sometimes disregard original music written in the early rock vein because of the belief that the best music in that style has been done.

“I disagree,” Jacobs says firmly. “It’s a musical form that’s immortal in its own elements. You take drums, bass, guitar and singing, throw those things together and you put some swing in it … It’s incredibly powerful and it makes people want to dance.”

Daddy Rabbit will play three sets of half covers and half original songs. The challenge may be picking out Jacobs’ modern take on the style. “I started writing this stuff and it’s there,” he says.

Daddy Rabbit plays from 10 pm to 1 am Friday, Dec. 26, at Black Forest; free. 21-plus.