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The IUPUI music program has lost one of its most beloved faculty with the passing of Jack Gilfoy last week. We will miss his  energy, ideas, and caring attitude toward his music and his friends. As one of the early music faculty members at IUPUI, his work over 19 years guided the early development of the music program and stimulated the quality of the music ensembles  and courses.  He offered superb musicianship to his audiences and  served as a monumental representative of the IUPUI music program to the Indianapolis and jazz communities.  His jazz recitals were an educational experience wrapped in talented performances of jazz literature and history.

Jack Gilfoy was a native of Indianapolis. He held a BM (music) and MS (education) degrees from Indiana University, where he was the first jazz drummer to complete a degree in percussion. Along the way, Jack studied jazz drumming with Shelly Manne and Joe Morello. Jack was a professional musician for over 40 years. He is perhaps best know as a “drummist” having performed with greats such as Errol Garner, Teddy Wilson, Jim Cullum, Ken Peplowski, Allen Vache, Harry Warren, Bob Snyder, Milt Hinton and Doc Severinson. He also performed with the big bands of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Larry Elgart, Nelson Riddle, Al Cobine and Buselli/Wallarab. Notably, for 30 years Jack toured the world as personal concert/TV show drummer for Henry Mancini. As a jazz educator Jack may well be the only “drummist” to have worked with the ABC’s of jazz education, Jamie Aebersold-David Baker-Jerry Coker. 

Gilfoy’s musical experience extended into many areas beyond the jazz idiom.  He performed with “pop” artists such as the Four Preps, Sonny & Sher, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Nancy Wilson and even Elvis (1971). Jack played with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Chamber Brass Choir, the Bloomington and Columbus Pops Orchestras and the Sonic Boom Percussion group. During the Mancini years Jack performed with almost every major symphony in the US, Canada, Australia and Japan.  Here in Indianapolis, he also managed his own jazz trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, septet and the Jazz State of Indiana big band.

Jack Gilfoy was the Director of Jazz & Music Business Studies at the Indiana University School of Music at IUPUI. He taught jazz drumming at IU/Bloomington and Ball State University. He was appointed as an associate editor for Percussive Notes, the official journal for the Percussive Arts Society this last year. 

We will miss Jack’s wit and humor.  His many talents.  His ability to bring us together to enjoy music, from his Young Audiences drumming to his symphony orchestra performances with Henry Mancini. 

Links 

• Indianapolis Star article
  Well-known jazz drummer was to be honored today | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

• IUPUI Memorial (movie)
  http://www.sagamore.iupui.edu/media/jagradio/
• Jack Gilfoy website
  http://www.jackgilfoy.com/