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
References
External links
All About Jazz
Vital Information Web Site
American jazz organists
American male organists
Santana (band) members
Keytarists
Living people
1941 births
Musicians from Detroit
Jazz musicians from Michigan
21st-century organists
American male jazz musicians
21st-century American keyboardists
Vital Information members
20th-century American keyboardists
Fantasy Records artists
JVC Records artists
United States Air Force Band musicians
United States military musicians