May 4, 2008 www.indystar.com.

Jack Gilfoy | 1939-2008

Well-known jazz drummer was to be honored today

By Chris Sikich chris.sikich@indystar.com

Jack Gilfoy, a jazz drummer who directed jazz studies at IUPUI and once performed as a regular with the Henry Mancini orchestra, died Saturday morning in his sleep.

Gilfoy, 68, Indianapolis, had performed with such greats as Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley, Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis, said his wife of 18 years, Sue Gilfoy.

His Web site notes he also played with legends Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Larry Elgart, Nelson Riddle and Al Cobine.

"This man was from another era in many ways," said Sue Gilfoy, 68.

He still played three to five times a week until his death, his wife said.

Gilfoy played drums at the Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave., and at area functions.

He was set to be honored by the musicians' union today for 50 years of membership.

"A lot of us are very stunned by this," said Marty Hodapp, the union's secretary-treasurer. "I'm not sure how we're going to present it . . . Jack's widow has asked us to make a toast to Jack, which of course we will do."

Gilfoy played Tuesdays at the Jazz Kitchen with the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. Brent Wallarab, 43, said Gilfoy made everyone else better.

"There are always those drummers who want it to be about them being heard, imposing their own musical identity on everyone else," he said. "Whereas Jack was a lot more sensitive to the other musicians and didn't want to stand out and be the whole show."

The Rev. Marvin Chandler, 78, played with Gilfoy in Cobine's orchestra in Bloomington when Gilfoy was a student at Indiana University. Lately, they played in the Jack Gilfoy Quintet.

Among other gigs, they played in programs for Young Audiences, an arts education group. Chandler said Gilfoy wanted to extend to children the joy and vitality of jazz music. Gilfoy worked with Young Audiences for 40 years.

"I think Jack felt his responsibility to help young people who aspired to music, even if they weren't absolutely sure," Chandler said. "I think he sought to help them understand something about jazz music and its history and significance."

Gilfoy's first wife, Peggy Gilfoy, died in 1988.

Services are pending at Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Center in Broad Ripple.

Jack was an amazing man, performer, and teacher. He performed at the Artsgarden regularly and he became one of our favorites to work with. His last performance at my job was April 24th. We are in shock and are going to miss the guy. He was just terrific.