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Special guest will join Hot Brass at Scott

  • Published
  • By Steve Berry
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  A musician who played in Air Force bands in the 1960s and went on to play keyboard with Carlos Santana and many other bands will reunite with the Air Force this weekend in the metro-east. 

Tom Coster will join Hot Brass, a jazz/rock group with the Air Force Band of Mid-America, for three local dates starting Friday in Highland, Saturday in Fairview Heights and Sunday at Scott. 

"I have actually done this before with the Air Force, whether its been with the rock band, or the big jazz band," Mr. Coster said. "It is just another wonderful memory for me as I grow older that I will keep in my heart and my mind forever." 

Mr. Coster, 68, was an Airman in the '60s, stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, Calif. (closed) and in Alaska. 

"I credit the Air Force with the greatest learning period of my life," said Mr. Coster. "They gave me the opportunity by giving me the time to learn." 

He said he was purposefully active as an Air Force musician. 

"I took full advantage of whatever musical education I could get as far as academic and also playing," Mr. Coster said. "I played every second I could in the jazz trios, big band, concert band, marching band." 

After playing with the Air Force for five years, Mr. Coster began a successful career as a civilian musician. After touring with Santana, Mr. Coster joined Steve Smith and Vital Information, which is a jazz-fusion band. He has played keys with Vital Information for the past 18 years as well as making solo albums and sitting in with various jazz musicians. 

He calls himself "a hired gun." 

Mr. Coster will join Hot Brass from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday at the Peanut Butter and Jam Festival in Highland, Ill. He will join the band again at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at Moody Park in Fairview Heights, Ill.; and finally Tom Coster and Hot Brass will play at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, on Scott's parade field. 

The band, Hot Brass, fuses the stylings of a brass quintet with rock-n-roll