A versatile drummer with a background in funk and jazz, Gene Lake exemplifies the dualities of contemporary music. His experience showcases a deep appreciation for iconic funk artists from the 1970s and 1980s, including Parliament/Funkadelic and the Time, alongside his enduring connections to the jazz scene. Over nearly a decade, Gene Lake has collaborated with a remarkably varied set of musicians, ranging from the R&B group Surface in the 1980s to the 'new wave' of R&B acts like Me’shell NdegeOcello, Maxwell, and D’Angelo in the 1990s; from jazz pioneers Steve Coleman and Henry Threadgill to fusion greats Joe Zawinul and Marcus Miller, David Sanborn and Boz Skaggs .

Gene Lake