Fans of Grammy Award-winning artist André 3000 got to experience a new side of the Atlanta music legend at the Atlanta Jazz Festival on Monday, the festival’s final day. In an immersive performance and celebration of his 49th birthday, he performed music from his debut solo project, “New Blue Sun.”
Nearly 50,000 people spread across Piedmont Park to listen as the former OutKast member took them on an auditory experience that explored ambient jazz through woodbines and flutes, a contrast from his funky and psychedelic Southern roots made clear by the album’s opening track, “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.”
André 3000 stood on stage in 90-degree weather wearing a red beanie and long-sleeve shirt, the latter styling courtesy of his “long-sleeve policy” that he adopted. “I’m hot, but I’m cool, though,” he told the audience. He was backed by his collaborators on the album, the four-part ensemble he’d met while living in Los Angeles and recently finished a tour of intimate live shows with; it was the group’s first time performing for an audience as big as the festival’s.
“We’re on this stage tonight to pour out the sky and see what we can get,” he said. “Because everything we’re doing — the same way that ‘New Blue Sun’ was made with me and my brothers — we’re completely making everything up as we go along. We never know what the night is gonna sound like.”
For an hour, soothing and serene instrumentals that marked the evident shift in his artistic vision filled Piedmont Park. He played the flute, took in the moment and even howled as the energy of the music moved him. In a touching tribute, Andre 3000 paid homage to his roots and producer Rico Wade of the Dungeon Group, who passed on April 13, for raising him and ensuring his raps were “tight.”
“They taught me how to dream,” he said. “Atlanta was the ground for creativity.”
As the performance continued, he encouraged meditation as vertical mirrors reflected toward the audience shifted to face him. As the sun set on the park and the music reached different heights, it was a true testament to the personal spiritual and healing journey André 3000 hoped to reveal to his fans.
