John Kilgore began his apprenticeship in audio at Apostolic Studios in New York City in 1967 at the age of 18. He quickly rose to the position of night manager, which means he got to do the stuff nobody else wanted to do, and for no pay, too, at least for the first six monts or so. Under his tenure in that position, The Mothers of Invention made four albums at Apostolic: We're Only In It For The Money, Lumpy Gravy, Reuben and the Jets, and Uncle Meat. His early exposure to the recording practices of the late Frank Zappa warped his young mind, but gave him a thorough grounding in studio techniques. Fans of Frank will recognize John as "all night John" and his voice can be heard on several Zappa recordings as one of the Piano People. What does this have to do with anything? I have no idea.
After two and a half years at Apostolic, where he became a staff engineer and produced some of the most obscure recordings ever made, (one of them, "Boa Constrictor and A Natural Vine" by Baltimore cult figure George Figgs, actually sold 27 copies) Kilgore left New York for Boston, a mistake he still doesn't understand, where he wasted two years of his life studying obscure academic subjects. While there he and fellow wastrel Josiah K. Adams persuaded the good people of Tonus, Inc. to lock them both inside the Tonus Factory every night for several months so they could play with the prototype of Tonus' new product, the ARP 2500 synthesizer.
Shortly thereafter, he enrolled at Hampshire College where he quickly 1) met his future wife, the lovely Jennifer M. Landry, 2) commandeered the electronic music studio and 3) studied composition with Randall McClellan and James McElwaine.
After graduating from Hampshire, he worked as a recording engineer for Vanguard Records. He then became Chief Engineer at the audiophile label Desmar Records, and an independent producer and engineer before beginning a career in theater sound. He has recorded such artists as Gil Evans, Dexter Gordon, Big Mama Thornton, Sir Roland Hanna, Anthony Davis, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, Richard Goode, The Empire Brass Quintet, The American Brass Quintet, Richard Stoltzman and Paula Robison to name just a few. He was digital audio supervisor for the stage production and recording engineer for the Nonesuch recording of The Cave by Steve Reich. Recent Nonesuch recordings of Steve Reich's music include City Life, Proverb, Nagoya Marimbas and new recordings of Music for 18 Musicians, Eight Lines, New York Counterpoint and Four Organs.
Since he began his career in theatre sound in the early 80s, he has designed sound for musicals by Cannonball Adderly (Shout Up A Morning), Ray Davies (80 Days), Todd Rundgren (Up Against It), Roger Miller (the La Jolla production of Big River), Stephen Sondheim (the La Jolla revival of Merrily We Roll Along), William Finn (Romance in Hard Times) and Randy Newman (Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong).Since 1986 he has been Director of Recording Services for Masque Sound & Recording, where he makes sound effects and music recordings for Broadway, Off Broadway, touring and dance companies.
A composer, John has collaborated with Choreographer/Filmmaker Pooh Kaye since 1983 on five film scores and numerous dance scores. He has been the recipient, with Ms. Kaye, of two Collaborative Arts Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sound Design for Theatre
Manhattan Theatre Club Spring Gala 1995, 1996, 1997 - Sound Design
Another Part of the House - Classic Stage Company, directed by David Esbjornsen
Psychopathia Sexualis - Manhattan Theatre Club, directed by Dan Sullivan
The Red Address - Second Stage, directed by Pam Berlin
Flipping My Wig - WPA, directed by Ken Elliot
Boys in the Band - WPA and Lucile Lortell Theatre, directed by Ken Elliot
Tartuffe: Born Again - Circle in the Square, directed by David Saint
Iolanthe - Huntington Theatre, directed by Larry Carpenter
Love! Valour! Compassion! - by Terrence McNally at Manhattan Theatre Club, Broadway and Los Angeles (Ovation Award Nomination), directed by Joe Mantello
Swoop - by Mac Wellman, at Soho Repertory Theater, directed by Julian Webber
A Fair Country - by John Robin Baitz, at Naked Angels, directed by David Warren
The Dream Express - (musical direction) at CSC, written and directed by Len Jenkin
Dracula - by Mac Wellman, at Soho Repertory Theater, directed by Julian Webber
Day Standing On Its Head - Manhattan Theater Club, directed by Oskar Eustis
Careless Love - Soho Repertory Theater, written and directed by Len Jenkin
Snowing At Delphi - WPA Theater directed by Pam Berlin
Busted/The Heartsick Pioneer - John Drew Theater directed by Tim Hutton
Aven'U Boys - John Houseman Theater directed by Fred Zollo
The Years - Manhattan Theater Club, directed by Jack Hofsiss
A Christmas Carol (1992, 1993) - Huntington Theater Company, directed by Larry Carpenter
Joined at the Head - Manhattan Theater Club, directed by Pamela Berlin
Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet - Classic Stage Company, directed by David Esbjornsen
Spoleto Festival USA - Festival Sound Design 1991 & 1992
Buddy - National Tour - Sound Design (Robby Award Nomination)
Candide - Classic Stage Company, directed by Carrie Perloff and David Esbjornsen
A Piece of My Heart - Manhattan Theater Club
The Stick Wife - Manhattan Theater Club, directed by David Warren
Life During Wartime - Manhattan Theater Club, directed by Les Waters
Life During Wartime - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Les Waters
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff
Starmites - The Criterion Center Stage Right, directed by Larry Carpenter
The Kathy and Mo Show - West Side Arts Theater, directed by Paul Benedict
Up Against It - NY Shakespeare Festival, directed by Ken Elliot, music by Todd Rundgren
Romance in Hard Times - NY Shakespeare Festival, directed by David Warren
Down The Road - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff (S.D. Critics' Circle Award)
The Comedy of Errors (with the Flying Karamazov Brothers)- Vivian Beaumont Theater, directed by Robert Woodruff
Shout Up A Morning - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff
Merrily We Roll Along - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by James Lapine
Big River - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff - Sound Design
Big River - Eugene O'Neill Theater, directed by Des McAnuff - Sound Effects Design
The Seagull - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff
London Assurance - Old Globe Theatre, directed by Jack O'Brien (Dramalogue Award)
As You Like It - La Jolla Playhouse, directed by Des McAnuff (S.D. Critics' Circle Award).
Films
Other Voices, Other Rooms - Music Supervisor
The Painted Princess - Sound Design (Cine Eagle Award for Sound Design)
Wake Up Call - Sound Design
Swept Up - Sound Design
House of Floating Paper - Sound Design
Sticks on the Move - Sound Design