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, is also called Tom Coster, and 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