Photo Flash: Kostabi, Maye, et al. at CAST PARTY at Birdland

This past Monday night, host Jim Caruso and musical director Billy Stritch along with bassist Steve Doyle oversaw another edition of Cast Party, the wildly successful open mic night, which tours the country celebrating local talent. The event, made up of impromptu musical performances, has been running every Monday at Birdland in New York City for the past eight years.

Last night was visited by world renowned artist Mark Kostabi, who played an original composition on the piano. Kostabi's work is in the Permanent Collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery in Washington D.C., the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome and the Groninger Museum in Holland. Kostabi has designed album covers for Guns 'N' Roses (Use Your Illusion) and The Ramones (¡Adios Amigos!), Jimmy Scott (Holding Back The Years), Glint (Sound in Silence), RK: Roman Klun (Kingsway), Psychotica (Espina) and numerous products including a Swatch watch, Alessi vases, Rosenthal espresso cups, Ritzenhoff milk glasses, lighters and a Giro d'Italia pink jersey.

Also joining Mark Kostabi in the open mic night included legendary singer Marilyn Maye along with James Beaman, William Blake, Scott Coulter, Matt Kacergis, Lianne Marie Dobbs, Colleen McHugh and Aaron Weinstein to name a few.

Photo Credit: Derek Storm