A fine keyboardist, Tom Coster originally studied accordion for ten years. He performed music while in the Air Force, and in 1969 he was in a jazz/rock group called the Loading Zone on electric piano. After a stint with Gabor Szabo in 1971, Coster spent 1972-1978 with Santana. He played at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival with Billy Cobham, spent a couple of years outside of music, and then primarily led his own fusion-oriented bands (other than an association with Vital Information). He has recorded as a leader for Fantasy, Headfirst, and JVC, and his son Tom Coster, Jr. is also an excellent keyboardist. ~ Scott Yanow