And first and only woman of color to play bass in the U.S. Marine Corps Band.
Published January 7, 2025 – David R. Adler / JazzTimes.com
I sometimes say that my favorite genre of music is Tiny Desk. What I mean, I suppose, is that it has this way of uniting all genres: NPR Music’s widely adored live in-office concert series has showcased everyone from Chick Corea and Gary Burton to the Wu-Tang Clan. But it’s more than that: These “unplugged”-style shows have a way of bringing out something special in every artist, a look into their world that people might not get anywhere else.
In early December, Tampa-born rapper Doechii played a Tiny Desk Concert with an extraordinary band, all women of color, and brought down the house. That’s something else Tiny Desk does: offer a closer look at the skill and artistry of the sidepeople who work with all these high-profile acts.
The bassist for Doechii’s Tiny Desk Concert was Zuri Appleby, a Buffalo, New York native now based in Los Angeles, also the bassist for pop and R&B megastar Lizzo. She was also a sergeant in the Marine Corps, the first and only woman of color ever to play bass in the U.S. Marine Corps Band. An interview was clearly in order.
What struck me about Appleby’s playing with Doechii was how animated and “in it” she was, how effortless her feel as she handled transitions between slow R&B, uptempo samba and walking uptempo swing, all of it deftly on cue. This was just in the first number, “Boom Bap,” with a fierce solo from trumpeter and arranger Tatiana Tate. Completing the instrumental lineup were tenor saxophonist Keschia Potter, guitarist Tyler Victoria, keyboardist Hammondgal and drummer Dee Simone (under the musical direction of Grammy-nominated producer SlimWav). These consummate pros follow in the footsteps of legendary session players in the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, the L.A. Express and others.
I was delighted to have Zuri join JazzTimes for a video interview (scroll down), in which we talk about her Tiny Desk experience, her time on the road touring big arenas, her military service, her gear and also her original music, which she plans to start releasing this year. In one affecting moment she cites her primary bass influence: Before Willie Weeks, before Bootsy Collins, before Ron Carter, before Jaco Pastorius, before Victor Wooten, her father’s playing was what lit the fire: Rodney Appleby’s credits include Rick James, Chuck Berry and Ian Gillan. And the Marine Corps as well.◊