David Benoit, Monica Mancini Photo

From: Photo Flash: Jim Caruso's Cast Party Takes to the Sea

For the first time, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, the extreme open mic, took to the high seas. The weekly event that has been running at Birdland for the past eight years was booked on the "Dave Koz & Friends" jazz cruise to Alaska, and Cast Party At Sea became the after-hours place to sing and be seen! Joining Caruso and musical director/accompanist Billy Stritch on the beautiful Rhapsody Of The Seas were jazz and R&B superstars Chris Botti, Jeffrey Osborne, Sheila E., Kirk Whalum, David Benoit, Jake Shimabukuro, Monica Mancini, Spencer Day, and the host-with-the-most, sax-man Dave Koz.