Jack Gilfoy

Jack Gilfoy

(July 31, 1939 – May 2, 2008)

Jack Gilfoy was born and raised in 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. Jack also studied jazz drumming with Shelly Manne and Joe Morello. He was a professional musician for over 40 years and is perhaps best known 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 performed with the big bands of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Larry Elgart, Nelson Riddle, Al Cobine and Buselli/Wallarab. 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 and 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 in 2007.