Little Jumbo: A Community Space
Kai Meyers | February 15, 2024
Montford’s neighborhood bar, Little Jumbo, looks unassuming from the outside but transports visitors into an immersive experience of music and art.
Alan Hall is a world-class drummer, composer and leader of the Asheville Jazz Collective.
“It embodies a very full-throated creativity,” Alan Hall said.
Jay Sanders and Chall Gray, partners of Little Jumbo, took over leadership of the bar in 2017, combining good conversation with music, art and craft cocktails.
“We consider ourselves to be a community asset,” Sanders said, discussing the guiding principles of Little Jumbo.
Sanders continuously expresses that action speaks louder than words, reiterating that it is how a space makes you feel that keeps you coming back. Sanders has worked hard to ensure that each staff member, patron, and musician feels cared for and comfortable.
This intentionality cultivates creativity and connection that is truly difficult to find anywhere else. It is a unique quality that shines through in the music played every Monday and Tuesday night — where world-class musicians get together, experimenting with new pieces and unafraid to make mistakes because there’s no pressure, no cover charge — there’s not even a stage.
For musicians, it is really powerful to have a safe space for experimentation.
Jacob Rodriguez is a world-class saxophonist and Little Jumbo regular.
“Trying something with people in the room and seeing how they respond to what you just did is way different than what you're doing in a rehearsal,” Rodriguez said. “We played all the notes right, but did it mean something to somebody else?”
It is the welcoming, casual nature that makes the space so special to artists and patrons alike. The bar has drinks starting at $3.50, providing an inviting space for as many people as possible to come to enjoy the decor, listen to music and connect.
“People that work within the improvisational music scene in Asheville have a space where they can freely express themselves without a lot of the other,” Sanders said.
Little Jumbo’s understated environment attracts a wide range of ages and cultures. However, the significant gentrification in Montford is reflected in the clientele. This is a difficult dichotomy considering Montford’s history as a Black neighborhood and jazz’s roots in African American culture.
However, Little Jumbo reflects the cultivation of community rather than its disruption, and a large part of that success is due to Sanders’ dedication to his community.
“I see a really wide demographic of people come in here and that brings me great joy, because to see all kinds of people here, feeling comfortable and feeling safe, that's what we're all about,” Sanders said.
This month, Gray and Sanders have transformed the bar into The Tropilachia Club at Little Jumbo to spice things up and give customers a refuge from what should be winter’s coldest month. The bar features elaborate decorations, a tropical playlist and a specialty cocktail list to give customers the full experience.
If you visit, you’ll run into the fantastical horned feline-esque creature there: a yearly art installation created by Wade Asa, a local artist.
Check out Little Jumbo Bar if you want to escape to a new enchanting world of music, drinks and connection right in your backyard.