3/13/2024 – The Modern Gentlemen is the name of the joint project by musicians Matt Goss and Jason Kouchak. It revolves around the art of being a true gentleman in the modern world. For the two music lovers, chess is an essential part of this. | Photos: Julian Paix

1/30/2024 – Last weekend, Mumbai hosted the second Lollapalooza music festival on the Asian continent. The headliner was former Police singer Sting. And former World Champion Viswanathan Anand was right in the middle of the crowd, singing along as a big Police fan.

7/19/2023 – I bought an airplane ticket for the same July 13th flight that my husband Doug took to St. Louis for the 2023 U.S. Senior Championship. But I didn’t join Doug on that flight. ‘Chess’ (the musical) was in St. Louis and my son William wanted to see it. | Photo: Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis

2/13/2023 – The British band Depeche Mode is preparing a new album and has just released the title track in which the remaining founding members David Gahan and Martin Gore say goodbye to their friend and colleague Andy Fletcher, who died last year. The chessboard images in the music video quote Ingmar Bergman's famous film "The Seventh Seal".

11/16/2022 – The pianist Volker Ahmels regularly organises music festivals in Schwerin, Germany, to remember and to honour ostracised and persecuted musicians. One of these musicians was the composer Arnold Schönberg, who had to flee Austria because he was persecuted by the Nazis. Schönberg is the creator of 12-tone music but he also invented a chess variant, which he called "Coalition Chess". Last week, Volker Ahmels and the cabaret artist Matthias Deutschmann tried their hand at this demanding form of chess.

7/7/2022 – The Russian rave band "Little Big" is known for provocative music videos. In June, the band released the video "Generation Cancellation", in which it takes a critical stance on Russia's war against Ukraine, using chess as a metaphor. | Photo: Little Big

3/8/2022 – Today is International Women's Day, also in chess. The first strong female chess champion was Vera Menchik. José Raul Capablanca, who died 80 years ago today, on 8 March 1942, was one of many strong players who respected her. Vera Menchik died 26 June 1944 during a German V-1 flying bomb attack on London during World War II. Now it's war again. "Love is more important than victory", says musician Jason Kouchak and is currently writing a musical about Vera Menchik.

1/4/2022 – On Christmas Day, the James Webb Telescope began its long journey into space, as it is expected to provide new insights into the early history of the universe. The infinite expanses have inspired many artists. Music, the stars and chess are magically connected — says Jason Kouchak. | Photo: “Starlight” by Julian Paix

12/25/2021 – Part of the attraction of the Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit" is the design: costumes, buildings and music evoke the 1960s, the time in which the series is set. In a crucial scene of the series the Dutch band Shocking Blue provides the background music. Shocking Blue, founded in 1967, might not be as famous as other bands from the 1960s and 1970s but it still has ardent followers, and one of them is a prominent chess player and well-known coach. | Photo: Netflix

12/24/2021 – "The Queen's Gambit" is one of the most successful Netflix series and will remain one of the best representations of chess in film. The series contains many impressive and powerful scenes, e.g. the depiction of a tournament in fast-forward mode, fittingly accompanied by the famous instrumental musical piece "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams.

8/3/2021 – In October 2010, on the initiative and with financial support of London-based French pianist, composer, singer-songwriter, and chess fan Jason Kouchak, a large chess set was installed in Holland Park in London. Recently, and with a long Corona-related delay, Kouchak celebrated the ten-year anniversary of this event with a few friends. It was not the only public celebration of chess in London this summer: In July, Trafalgar Square saw a big chess festival with references to Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland who was also a big chess fan. | Photos: Julian Paix (if not otherwise indicated)

2/14/2021 – Today is Valentine's Day, the day dedicated to romantic love. The French singer, actor and writer Serge Gainsbourg was a great romantic, and he was known for taking his mission in the name of love very seriously. His song "Je t'aime..." was quite explicit and censored in a number of countries. But Gainsbourg loved scandals - and chess, as well. | Photo: Serge Gainsbourg | Photo: Roger Kasparian

11/19/2020 – A journey in fantasy and harmony, that is the chess and music project "The Queen's Journey" by musician and chess lover Jason Kouchak. The main target group of the project are children, especially girls. The message is that chess is fun and helps you to develop your personality. Spice Girl Geri Halliwell supported the project. | Photo: Julian Paix

9/11/2020 – Chess and jazz are both cool and go well together. Once a month the musician and chess fan Clemens Lotz brings chess players and live jazz music together in Berlin Kreuzberg, thus reviving the tradition of Berlin chess cafés. The next Chess & Jazz event will take place on September 17, 2020. | Photo: Lukas Diller

8/10/2020 – Ian Gillan is the singer of the legendary rock band "Deep Purple" which recently released their 21st album, called "Whoosh!". In an interview with the German newspaper "Lübecker Nachrichten", Gillan, who will turn 75 on August 19, 2020, revealed his passion for chess.

7/6/2020 – Initially, Ennio Morricone wanted to become a chess professional. But then he realized that his musical talent was much greater than his talent for chess and he became a composer, whose music added a special touch to many famous films. But Morricone was always passionate about chess. On July 6, 2020, he died in Rome at the age of 91. | Photo: Comune Turin

5/30/2020 – The famous French musician, pianist and composer Jason Kouchak is an avid chess fan. During the time of the Corona lockdown he spends his time playing chess or watching online tournaments. But actually he wanted to be at the Holland Park Chess event, to give a live chess performance with his friend, actress Helena Bonham Carter, as white queen.