Asheville’s YMI Cultural Center: A Hub for Jazz & Soul Music

Asheville, NC, December 21, 2025

The YMI Cultural Center in Asheville, NC showcases its vibrant cultural heritage through initiatives like the Jazz & Soul Sessions, featuring Kelle Jolly and The Will Boyd Project. These community-driven events highlight the importance of local leadership in fostering a rich artistic environment, celebrating African American music traditions while engaging residents in meaningful experiences.

Asheville, NC – The cultural landscape thrives when local initiative and community engagement converge, creating vibrant spaces for shared experiences and artistic expression. In Asheville, North Carolina, the historic YMI Cultural Center stands as a testament to this principle, consistently offering programs that enrich the community. Among its notable contributions are the Jazz & Soul Sessions, which feature the acclaimed talents of Kelle Jolly and The Will Boyd Project. This series exemplifies how community-driven efforts, supported by dedicated individuals and local organizations, can foster enduring cultural growth and provide invaluable platforms for artists.

The success of such local endeavors highlights the positive impact of personal initiative and civic involvement. When communities prioritize and nurture their cultural institutions, they cultivate environments where artistic achievement can flourish and residents can connect through meaningful experiences. These efforts often demonstrate the effectiveness of grassroots organization and local leadership in enriching the fabric of a community.

A Cornerstone of Community and Culture: The YMI Cultural Center

The YMI Cultural Center in Asheville, North Carolina, holds a significant place in the region’s history and cultural fabric. Commissioned by George Vanderbilt in 1892, the Tudor-style structure was built by and for the several hundred African American craftsmen who contributed to the construction and furnishing of the Biltmore House. Originally known as the Young Men’s Institute, it quickly became a central hub for the cultural, commercial, and religious life of local African Americans during the era of segregation.

Over the years, the YMI housed a variety of essential community services, including a kindergarten, gymnasium, public library, corner drugstore, funeral parlor, doctor’s office, and even provided a place of worship for congregations without a dedicated church. In 1906, the African American community demonstrated remarkable self-reliance and collective effort by fundraising to purchase the building from the Vanderbilt estate. Its historical significance has been formally recognized through its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Following a period of decline in the 1960s and 1970s, a coalition of nine Black churches, supported by both the Black and white communities, acquired the YMI in 1980. The building was subsequently restored and reestablished in 1981 as the YMI Cultural Center, dedicated to preserving the heritage of African Americans in Buncombe County through various cultural programs and exhibitions. Today, the YMI Cultural Center is regarded as a living monument to the resilience and vibrancy of Asheville’s African American community, often referred to as part of Asheville’s ‘Black Wall Street.’

The Banjul-Banjo Music Series: Bridging Continents Through Sound

Central to the YMI Cultural Center’s vibrant programming is the Banjul-Banjo Music Series, a regular initiative that celebrates the rich traditions of African American music and its deep roots in the African diaspora. The series’ name itself, derived from Banjul, the capital of Gambia, and the banjo, an instrument brought to the American South by enslaved Africans, symbolically bridges continents and centuries. This connection highlights the enduring cultural links between West Africa and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Banjul-Banjo Music Series is renowned for showcasing diverse musical genres, including Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul, Folk, and Neo-Soul. Each event brings vibrant sounds and soulful experiences to Asheville, offering a unique opportunity to honor history, foster community connections, and present the richness of African American musical heritage.

Kelle Jolly and The Will Boyd Project: A Dynamic Duo

The Jazz & Soul Sessions are headlined by nationally acclaimed artists Kelle Jolly and The Will Boyd Project, who form a dynamic five-member house band. Vocalist Kelle Jolly is widely recognized as the “Tennessee Ukulele Lady,” celebrated for her talents as a musician, vocalist, and storyteller. She is the founder of the Women in Jazz Jam Festival and the Ukesphere of Knoxville Ukulele Club. Kelle Jolly has also served as the host of Jazz Jam with Kelle Jolly on WUOT 91.9FM since 2014 and has performed internationally, including in Japan. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from South Carolina State University.

Will Boyd, a multi-reed instrumentalist, composer, and educator, contributes significantly to the project. He is known for his work in the soul saxophone tradition and holds a Masters of Jazz Studies from the University of Tennessee. Will Boyd is also a member of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd are married and frequently perform together. Their collaborative efforts have been recognized; they were recipients of the 2015 MLK Art Award in Knoxville. Will Boyd’s album, “Freedom Soul Jazz,” features Kelle Jolly’s ukulele playing. Additionally, Will Boyd is part of the music faculty at the University of North Carolina Asheville and Warren Wilson College.

The Jazz & Soul Sessions Experience

The Jazz & Soul Sessions at the YMI Cultural Center are an immersive experience designed to uplift African American heritage through the arts and community engagement. These sessions are a vibrant concert series that honor the deep roots of African American music and its transatlantic heritage. The events are held monthly on the fourth Friday from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM and on the fourth Saturday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Upcoming dates for these sessions include December 26-27, 2025. Each session offers an opportunity to experience soulful rhythms and vibrant jazz within the historic setting of the YMI, a building where music and art have long been the heartbeat of ‘The Block.’

Fostering Community Through Individual Initiative and Local Support

The enduring success of events like the Jazz & Soul Sessions at the YMI Cultural Center underscores the profound benefits of local leadership and private partnerships in cultural development. These events are not merely entertainment; they are a product of community vision and the dedicated efforts of individuals and local organizations. The YMI Cultural Center itself is a powerful example of community self-reliance, having been established and maintained through local initiative and persistent support from its community, rather than relying solely on extensive bureaucratic structures. Such initiatives provide essential platforms for artists and generate opportunities for residents to engage in their community’s cultural life, demonstrating the effectiveness of empowering local choices. By participating in and supporting these events, individuals directly contribute to the cultural enrichment and economic vitality of their area, fostering a stronger, more connected civic environment.

Conclusion

The Jazz & Soul Sessions at Asheville’s YMI Cultural Center, featuring Kelle Jolly and The Will Boyd Project, stand as a testament to the power of community-driven cultural initiatives. These events not only provide exceptional artistic experiences but also reinforce the importance of local leadership, individual achievement, and community self-reliance in cultivating a thriving cultural landscape. They illustrate how dedicated efforts can preserve heritage, foster engagement, and contribute to the economic well-being of a region. We encourage readers to seek out and support similar local events in their own communities, engaging with initiatives that empower local artists and cultural institutions to build a richer, more vibrant civic life for everyone.

Keywords: Asheville NC events, YMI Cultural Center, Jazz & Soul music, Kelle Jolly, Will Boyd Project, North Carolina cultural events

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