André 3000 and his flute took thousands of people on an ambient journey at the Atlanta Jazz Festival

Fans of Grammy Award-winning artist André 3000 got to see a new side of the Atlanta music legend at the Atlanta Jazz Festival on Monday, the final day of the festival. 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 spilled into Piedmont Park to hear the former OutKast member take them on an aural experience exploring ambient jazz through woodbines and flutes, a contrast to his funky, Southern psychedelic roots clearly illustrated by the album’s opening track, “I Swear, I really wanted to make a ‘rap’ album, but that’s literally how the wind blew me this time.

André 3000 was on stage in 90-degree weather, wearing a red beanie and long-sleeved shirt, the latter courtesy of his “long-sleeve policy” that he adopted. “I’m sexy, but I’m cool,” he told the audience. He was supported by his collaborators on the album, the four-piece ensemble he had met while living in Los Angeles and with whom he had recently completed an intimate concert tour; it was the first time that the group had performed in front of an audience as large as that of the festival.