Mark Kassa – Guitar & Vocals
Executive Producer, Guitar, Owner, Producer, Song Writer, Vocals
Mark Kassa
Mark Kassa- Guitar/Vocals– Voting Member of the Grammy Awards (The Recording Academy), Graduated from Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. Executive Board Member of the DMAN Foundation- Danny’s Miracle Angel Network (mydman.org). Has written/recorded with George Clinton (Parliament/Funkadelic, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member), Andy Vargas (lead vocalist for the legendary Santana Band), Billy Cox (bassist for Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys), Dennis Coffey (guitarist from the Motown Funk Brothers), Tony “T Money” Green (bassist for Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, The Dramatics, and Death Row Records), Davey Pattison (vocalist for Robin Trower, Montrose, and Gamma), Pat Lewis (vocalist with Aretha Franklin and P-Funk) and legendary drummer Dennis Chambers (Santana, Steely Dan, P-Funk, Jackson 5).
Mark is the writer, music producer, executive producer, manager of Slight Return and owner of federally registered trademarks for “Slight Return”, “Welcome To The D”, “The D”, “Hail The Heroes“, “It’s a Detroit Thing“, “It’s a D Thing“, “Shake Your Detroit Right“, and “So Detroit” (co-owner), and has produced albums/worked with studio pros/recording engineers Jack Endino in Seattle, WA (Nirvana, The Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, and the famed “Sub Pop” label out of Seattle), Jim Diamond in Detroit, MI (Jack White and The White Stripes), Alan Sanderson-San Diego, CA (Elton John and The Rolling Stones), Frank Jamal (Aretha Franklin), and mastering engineer Chris Hanzsek-Seattle, WA (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and the famed “Sub Pop” label from Seattle ).
Mark Kassa is endorsed by the Shin-ei “Vibe Bro” Univibe company alongside guitar greats Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Doyle Bramhall, Oz Noy, and Michael Landau.
Read Mark’s My Memories in “The D”
Born at Detroit Memorial Hospital.
Family business burned down during the 1967 riots. Rebuilt the business despite being advised not to, because we believed in the city. Father worked on the assembly line at Chrysler during the rebuild.
Worked for over 30 years in the family business at the corner of Linwood and Davison on the west side of Detroit. Family has been doing business in Detroit since the 1930’s.
Attended Wayne State University in Detroit.
Volunteer at the St Dominic’s soup kitchen in Detroit with the Dominican Nuns feeding hundreds of homeless people weekly.
Funded/worked with Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame Coach Robert Brown for the United Youth 2000 mentoring program at Detroit Loyola High School.
Entertainment/Music director for the Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers of MI 2011-2017
Co-founder of Axis Music Academy.
Co-chair of the Chaldean Festival, Southfield, MI.
Board member of the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce.
Volunteer music/band director for the DMAN Foundation (Danny’s Miracle Angel Network).
Volunteer/donate band sets for The Relay For Life cancer walk.
Writer/Guitar/Vocals/Executive Producer on all Slight Return music releases.
Owner of “Slight Return” established in 1996.
Owner of multiple International trademarks
Writer/Owner/Founder/Co-producer and Host of the TV Show “Welcome To The D” that airs on International Dish in several countries.
Owner/Creator of “The D” and “Welcome To The D” apparel welcometothed.com