Gene Dunlap

by William RuhlmannGene Dunlap grew up in Detroit, where he took up the drums while in high school. He became friends with guitarist Earl Klugh and played with him in local clubs. He became guitarist Grant Greens drummer, then backed vibraphonist Roy Ayers. In the mid-70s, he reunited with Klugh, with whom he cut a long series of albums over the next 20 years while adding percussion, guitar, synthesizer, and composing to his talents. His tenure with Klugh was interrupted by three solo albums he cut for Capitol Records, then resumed. In 1994, he released Groove with You, credited to the Gene Dunlap Band, on Avenue Jazz Records, but shortly after gave up performing to teach inner city youth in Detroit. In April 2000, he returned with his second Avenue Jazz album, Tales of the Phatman.