# Tom Coster

Tom Coster (born August 21, 1941) is an American keyboardist, composer, and longtime backing musician for Carlos Santana.

## Early years

Detroit-born and San Francisco-raised, Coster played piano and accordion as a youth, continuing his studies through college and a productive five-year stint as a musician in the U.S. Air Force Band.

## Career

Coster has played with and/or composed for many groups and musicians including The Loading Zone, Gábor Szabó, Carlos Santana, Billy Cobham, Third Eye Blind, Coryell/Coster/Smith, Claudio Baglioni, Stu Hamm, Boz Scaggs, Zucchero and Bobby Holiday, Joe Satriani, Frank Gambale, and Vital Information. Coster also produced several solo jazz fusion recordings as a leader for Fantasy, Headfirst, and JVC.
Some of Coster's best-known compositions are "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)", "Flor D'Luna (Moonflower)" and "Dance, Sister, Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)" performed by Santana and "The Perfect Date" performed by Vital Information.

## Personal life

Coster's son was born in 1966, also called Tom Coster, also a keyboardist and composer.

## Solo discography and personnel

* T.C. (Fantasy, 1981)
** Tom Coster - keyboards, Linn-1 drum machine programming
** Joaquin Lievano - guitar
** Randy Jackson - bass
** Steve Smith - drums
* Ivory Expeditions (Fantasy, 1983)
** Tom Coster - keyboards
** Joaquin Lievano - guitar
** Randy Jackson - bass
** Steve Smith - drums
** Walter Afanasieff - additional keyboards
** Tommy Coster - additional keyboards
* Did Jah Miss Me?!? (Headfirst/JVC, 1989)
** Tom Coster - keyboards
** Tommy Coster - keyboards
** Jordan Rudess - keyboards
** Ernie Watts - alto, soprano and tenor saxophones, and Yamaha WX-7 wind driver
** Norbert Stachel - tenor saxophone
** Frank Gambale - acoustic and electric guitars
** Randy Jackson - electric bass
** Dennis Chambers - drums
** Steve Smith - drums
** Larry Grenadier - acoustic bass
* From Me to You (Headfirst/JVC, 1990)
** Tom Coster - keyboards
** Tommy Coster - keyboards
** Mark Russo - saxophones
** Corrado Rustci - guitar
** Kai-Eckhardt Karpeh - bass
** William Kennedy - drums
** Armando Peraza - congas, bongos
** Jimi Tunnell - vocals
* Gotcha (JVC, 1992)
** Tom Coster - keyboards, computer programming, synth and drum programming
** Mark Russo - saxophones
** Chris Camozzi - guitar
** Alphonso Johnson - electric and fretless bass
** Dennis Chambers - drums
** Norbert Stachel - saxophones
* Let's Set the Record Straight (JVC, 1993)
** Tom Coster - keyboards
** Bob Berg - saxophones
** Frank Gambale - acoustic and electric guitars
** Alphonso Johnson - electric and fretless bass
** Dennis Chambers - drums
** Raul Rekow - congas, bata, vocals
** Karl Perazzo - congas, bongos
** Steve Smith - drums
** Tommy Coster - Producer, keyboards and synth
* The Forbidden Zone (JVC, 1994)
** Tom Coster - keyboards, synthe bass
** Bob Berg - tenor saxophone
** Scott Henderson - guitars
** Jeff Andrews - electric bass
** Alphonso Johnson - electric and fretless bass
** Dennis Chambers - drums
** Raul Rekow - congas, bata, chekere, vocal chant
** Karl Perazzo - timbales, congas, miscellaneous percussion
** Tommy Coster - Producer
* Interstate '76 Soundtrack (w/Bullmark) (Activision, 1996)
** Tom Coster - keyboards
** Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind) - electric bass
** Bryan Mantia (Primus) - drums & percussion
** Jon Bendich -
** Les Harris (Curveball) -
** Dave Schul (Curveball) -
* From the Street (JVC, 1996)
** Tom Coster - keyboards, synth bass
** Bob Malach - tenor saxophone
** Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
** Dean Brown - rhythm guitar
** Steve Cardenas - lead guitar
** Dennis Chambers - drums
** Sheila E. - percussion
** Stu Hamm - electric bass
** Mark Isham - trumpet and cornet
** Tim Landers - electric and acoustic bass
** Tommy Coster - Producer