Tom Coster

Tom Coster (born August 21, 1941) is an American keyboardist and composer. 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.

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 include "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.

His son Tommy Coster is also a keyboardist.

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


 * 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
 * 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 - 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


 * 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, synthe 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