Mark Kassa- Executive Producer/Owner/Guitar/Vocals/Writer for Slight Return®/ VP@Mi5 Detroit (Universal Music Group)
andy vargas, bumblefoot, ccr, chris hanzsek, davey pattison, dennis chambers, DMAN Foundation, eddie money, Executive Producer/Guitar/Vocals/Writer/Owner of Slight Return®, george clinton, gin blossoms, glenn letsch, grand funk railroad, Gustavo Alarco, huey lewis, jack endino, jim diamond, Mi5/Universal Music Group, Music 301, Music Noises, Music Player Magazine, Musicians Institute- Hollywood, pete thompson, queensryche, rare earth, robin trower, The D Cap, tony green, tony lindsay, victor ghannam, Welcome to the D
Mark Kassa-
Slight Return® est 1996-Executive Producer/Owner/Guitar/Vocals/Writer
Voting Member of the Grammy Awards (Recording Academy- Chicago Chapter)
“Weekend Homewreck” Slight Return feat. Christian Vegh- #10 on the DRT Global Rock Charts 2021 for 4 weeks, Top 20 for 2 months and remained in the charts for 5 months
“Vicious Tides” and “Warrior Soul” feat. Andy Vargas reached #13 and remained in the charts for 8 months
Over a Dozen songs on the first round Grammy Awards ballot
2 songs on the first round Latin Grammy Ballot
VP of Operations Mi5 Detroit (Universal Music Group)
Musicians Institute- (Hollywood, CA)- Guitar Institute of Technology Alumni
Welcome to the D® TV Show- Creator and Co-host
The D® Cap -Co-host
Grammy In The Schools- Mentor for Music Educators (Chicago)
Grammy U- Mentor for Students (Chicago)
Endorsed by Shin-ei Univibe Company (Vibe-Bro and Vibe 2) alongside Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Doyle Bramhall II, Oz Noy, Michael Landau, Scott Henderson
DMAN Foundation Executive Board Member
Music 301- Music Education Creator
Folktellers/ Haze Productions- Producer
Music Player Magazine
Axis Music Academy Co-Founder and Educator
NRM Streamcast- Board Member
Salute Our Warriors- Board Member
MEA TV- Middle Eastern America Television Executive Board Member
America’s Safety First- Board Member
Chaldean Chamber of Commerce- Board Member (2 year term)
Chaldean Festival – Co-Chairman/Music Progamming (4 years)
Music Master Class at DIME (Detroit Institute of Music Education) College
Owner/Creator of “The D”® and “Welcome To The D”® apparel welcometothed.com
Writer/Owner/Founder/Co-producer and Host of the TV Show “Welcome To The D”® that airs on International Dish in several countries
Entertainment/Music director for the Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers of MI 2011-2017
Performed the Star Spangled Banner- Jimi Hendrix Style at Huntington Arena, DePaul University, Jimmy John’s Stadium, Henry Ford Museum, Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Event.
Owner of the Federal Trademarks for “Welcome to the D”® “The D”® “So Detroit”® “Hail the Heroes”® “Slight Return”® “It’s a Detroit Thing”® “It’s a Detroit Thang”® “It’s a D Thing”® “It’s a D Thang”® “Shake Your Detroit Right”®
Music and Trademarks have been featured (some without authorization) at 2012 Major League Baseball World Series, Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena, The Palace Arena, The D Casino, Detroit Visitors Bureau, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, Chevrolet, Detroit Sports Commission, The D Radio Station, University of Detroit, Duke University, Fox Theater, USA Hockey, Quick Lane Bowl, Szott Chrysler Automotive, WDIV TV, The Detroit Shoppe.
Full line of merchandise available at welcometothed.com
Testified in front of the Michigan Congress on the proper distribution of public benefits to help the poor get fresher products in supermarkets in urban areas considered “food deserts.”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkassa/
https://www.instagram.com/slightreturnusa/
https://www.facebook.com/slightreturndetroit
Written/Recorded/Produced with:
George Clinton-Parliament/Funkadelic, Funk Icon, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Tony Lindsay- 8x Grammy Award Winner
Andy Vargas-lead vocalist for Santana
Billy Cox- Jimi Hendrix- Band of Gypsys
Dennis Chambers- legendary drummer for P-Funk, Santana, Steely Dan, etc.
Steve Capp (7 Platinum albums , 3 M Golden Reel Awards -Mary J Blige, Queen Latifah, Government Mule, Kenny Loggins, Martha Reeves, Aretha Franklin, Bob James, Kenny Loggins, Debbie Gibson) and many others.
Dennis Coffey- Motown Funk Brothers
Tony “T Money” Green- Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Dramatics, Death Row Records
Davey Pattison- Robin Trower, Ronnie Montrose, Gamma
Pat Lewis- Aretha Franklin, Parliament/Funkadelic
Pete Thompson- Robert Plant, Robin Trower, Silverhead
Glenn Letsch- Jonathan Cain, Journey, Greg Allman, Robin Trower, Ronnie Montrose, Gamma
Victor Ghannam- National Arab Orchestra World Touring Oud Player
Gustavo Alarco- International Latin Recording Artist
Jack Endino- Grammy Award Winner- Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney
Chris Hanzsek- Deep Six Album, Soundgarden, Melvins, Skin Yard
Jim Diamond- Jack White, White Stripes
Billy Malley- World Class Middle Eastern Doumbek Player
Performed Live Shows With:
CCR, Grand Funk Railroad, The Gin Blossoms, Robin Trower, Eddie Money, Huey Lewis and the News, George Clinton, Los Lonely Boys, Queensryche, Bumblefoot, The Rockets, Rare Earth at venues including DTE Energy Center, Freedom Hill Amphitheater, MGM Casino, Huntington Arena, Jimmy John’s Field, Newport Music Hall, Royal Oak Music Theater, Kalamazoo State Theater, DePaul University, Sound Board Theater, Motor City Casino, Henry Ford Museum, Orbit Room, Crofoot Ballroom, St Andrews Hall, Laz-Y-Boy Theater, Emerald Theater, Lexington Village Theater, Comcast Concert TV, The Mitch Albom Show, and numerous festivals.
Background
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.
Charities
Sole sponsor and donor to the United Youth 2000 program run by coach Robert Brown in Detroit, MI
Volunteer -St Dominic’s Soup Kitchen in Detroit, MI
Family Sponsor- Adopt a Refugee program where they provide funding for food, clothing, and shelter for the abandoned, impoverished families in Iraq and Syria and displaced Christians of Iraq that are victims of war/violence.
Donated multiple music performances for various causes and fundraisers and persons in need, including the Walk for the Cure Cancer Walk and the DMAN annual gala.
Volunteer at the St Dominic’s soup kitchen in Detroit with the Dominican Nuns feeding hundreds of homeless people weekly
Food Donor- Horace Sheffield III Food Pantry- Detroit, MI- feeding the needy in Detroit
Food Donor-Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund- Michigan- helping those who served our country
Donor- Grace Centers of Hope- Pontiac, MI
Food Donor- The Kim Center- Cass Community Services- Detroit, MI
Food Donor- St. Vincent De Paul thru St Fabian Church (via partnership business)
Food Donor- Forgotten Harvest (via partnership business)(feeding hundreds of families per year)
Food Donor- St Aloysius/St Dominics Outreach Center
Food Donor- High Five Turkey Drive (via partnership business) for the underserved in Detroit (feeding over 1500 families over the last 5 years)
Volunteer music/band director for the DMAN Foundation (Danny’s Miracle Angel Network).
Volunteer/donate band sets for The Relay For Life cancer walk.
Funded/Donor/worked with Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame Coach Robert Brown for the United Youth 2000 mentoring program at Detroit Loyola High School.
#slightreturnusa #markkassa #georgeclinton #tonylindsay #denniscoffey #dennischambers #andyvargas #billycox #jackendino #chrishanzsek #charities #detroit #thed #welcometothed #recordingacademy #musiciansinstitute #daveypattison #petethompson #glennletsch #drtcharts #weekenhomewreck #christianvegh