Buffett Performs at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Jimmy Buffett performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on Sunday with his Acoustic Airmen and special guest Jake Shimabukuro.

New Orleans Jazz Fest producer Quint Davis introduced Jimmy Buffett’s close-out set on the Acura stage on Sunday (April 29) by saying, “This guy makes the world a little happier.”

For the next hour and a half, Buffett proved his point. Beach balls flew through the air, polka dotting the blue sky with primary colors. Hawaiian shirts clung to sweaty bodies. Parrothead hats bobbed to the beat. Vintage Buffett — and everyone, including the barefoot guy on stage, was eating it up.

For his 12th time at Jazz Fest (not counting his many guest appearances over the years), Buffett performed with the Acoustic Airmen, an all-start group of players that included Country Music Association Musician of the Year Mac McAnally along with Robert Greenidge, Eric Darken, Nadirah Shakoor and Tina Gullickson. Louisiana’s own Sonny Landreth joined on slide guitar, and Jake Shimabukuro stole the show on ukulele.

At one point, Buffett put down his guitar and walked aside, abdicating the stage to Shimabukuro and Greenidge as they performed “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on ukulele and steel drums.

The Times Picayune has some photos from the show:

(Photos by Chris Granger, NOLA.com)

Buffett’s next show is May 19th in Kansas City. There’s still time to get tickets to see Jimmy during his 2018 tour.