Tom Coster

American keyboardist and composer

Tom Coster
Coster in 2009 (Steve Smith and Vital Information)
Background information
Born	(1941-08-21) August 21, 1941 (age 82) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Rock, Latin rock, jazz fusion, classical
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instrument(s)	Keyboards, synthesizer, programming, piano, organ, accordion, guitar, bass guitar, drum machine

Musical artist

Tom Coster (born August 21, 1941) is an American keyboardist, composer, and longtime backing musician for Carlos Santana.^[1]

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

^ Wiseman, Rich (May 6, 1976). "Carlos Santana Comes Home". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 22, 2024.

External links

All About Jazz
Vital Information Web Site

Santana

Carlos Santana
Andy Vargas
Benny Rietveld
David K Mathews
Karl Perazzo
Paoli Mejías
Ray Greene
Tommy Anthony
Cindy Blackman Santana

Studio albums

Santana (1969)
Abraxas (1970)
Santana III (1971)
Caravanserai (1972)
Welcome (1973)
Borboletta (1974)
Amigos (1976)
Festival (1977)
Moonflower (1977)
Inner Secrets (1978)
Marathon (1979)
Zebop! (1981)
Shangó (1982)
Beyond Appearances (1985)
Freedom (1987)
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
Milagro (1992)
Supernatural (1999)
Shaman (2002)
All That I Am (2005)
Guitar Heaven (2010)
Shape Shifter (2012)
Corazón (2014)
Santana IV (2016)
Power of Peace (2017)
Africa Speaks (2019)
Blessings and Miracles (2021)

Live albums

Lotus (1974)
Moonflower (1977)
Sacred Fire: Live in South America (1993)
Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997)
The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007)
The Woodstock Experience (2009)

Compilations

Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
The Very Best of Santana (1981)
Viva Santana! (1988)
The Best of Santana (1991)
The Definitive Collection (1992)
Dance of the Rainbow Serpent (1995)
The Ultimate Collection (1997)
Best Instrumentals Vol. 2 (1999)
The Best of Santana Vol. 2 (2000)
The Essential Santana (2002)
Ceremony: Remixes & Rarities (2003)
Love Songs (2004)
Ultimate Santana (2007)
Multi-Dimensional Warrior (2008)

Extended plays

In Search of Mona Lisa (2019)

Singles

"Jin-go-lo-ba" (1969)
"Evil Ways" (1969)
"Black Magic Woman" (1970)
"Oye Como Va" (1971)
"No One to Depend On" (1972)
"Samba Pa Ti" (1973)
"Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)" (1976)
"She's Not There" (1977)
"You Know That I Love You" (1979)
"Winning" (1981)
"I Love You Much Too Much" (1981)
"Hold On" (1982)
"Gypsy Woman" (1990)
"Smooth" (1999)
"Put Your Lights On" (1999)
"Maria Maria" (1999)
"Corazón Espinado" (2000)
"The Game of Love" (2002)
"Nothing at All" (2003)
"Feels Like Fire" (2003)
"Sideways" (2003)
"Why Don't You & I" (2003)
"I'm Feeling You" (2005)
"Just Feel Better" (2005)
"Cry Baby Cry" (2005)
"No Llores"
"Into the Night" (2005)
"This Boy's Fire" (2008)
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (2010)
"Photograph" (2010)
"Fortunate Son" (2010)
"Under the Bridge" (2010)
"Dance the Night Away" (2010)
"Sunshine of Your Love" (2011)

Other songs

"Soul Sacrifice" (1969)

Live
performances

Carlos Santana
solo albums

Studio	Love Devotion Surrender Illuminations Oneness: Silver Dreams Golden Realities The Swing of Delight Havana Moon Blues for Salvador Santana Brothers
Live	Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live! Carlos Santana Live Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1988