The Hat Channel
- Feb 5, 2021
- 4 min read

Hatz Exclusive - Jason Kouchak

Streaming Ahead

a lone cowboy in lockdown London...

Jason Kouchak has built up his career to this point in his life. He was influenced by the magical tones of his mother’s music as she created harmonies with the keys. He made a decision at the tender age of four to take music to another level. In his childhood the way the sound of music travelled through the floor boards to vibrate though his whole being had a great impact on him. His love of composition and creating music grew from this initial source of inspiration.

"He made a decision at the tender age of four to take music to another level."

He realised that music was a chance to reach out to people, to find the harmony in humanity. The space between notes became the key in unlocking the inner spirit held within the notes between his school years and adulthood.

His mission nowadays is to unlock the sounds from within and share his passion with his audience. There is always an energy and reason to perform. Do not underestimate your own strength and skills. Jason is clear about looking ahead with some reflection with the aim of taking and projecting a positive attitude to the future.

"There is an energy and reason to perform."

He releases the layers of energy within classical music scores and offers his own interpretations in live performances.

Hats feature within his musical world. Jason explains that a hat frames the face and offers a new silhouette. A different hat gives a new image. He loves to wear a hat; from a beret that reflects his French heritage to a leather cowboy hat that has its own current story.

As a friend of the late John Barry, Jason wanted to offer a tribute to his emotional compositions. ‘Midnight Cowboy’, composed by Barry is well known and captures the essence of being alone in a city. Now, Jason relates to this poignant melody as a lone cowboy in lockdown London.

"...a lone cowboy in lockdown London."

Wearing a leather cowboy hat on the streets of the capital, he can stand out in a crown or pull the brim forward to reflect and internalise his own thoughts. He feels that this time is a gift to use and build for the future. As he spoke, from the Holy Trinity Brompton, at the church doors, he has an opportunity to review and plan ahead. His walking will take him to other spiritual locations and offer solace at this special time.

This cowboy hat offers more than just a dashing image. In the inclement winter weather in the United Kingdom, the brim gives ‘streaming’ a whole new meaning as water cascades off his hat in rivets! A protective design, which takes him forward. From music composition, stage and Camino Creations Jason is making full use of this time. As he points out, one door opens as other opportunities are deferred for the future, he encourages everyone to learn new skills and take steps forward at this time.

A career in music began at a young age, sparked by his mother’s musical performances and he was moved by the way individual keys combined together in a magical harmonious way. The melodic sound together with the vibrations of the floor boards brought a new joy into his world. Inspired by this experience, he took up the piano himself at the delicate age of four.

"...pull the brim forward to reflect and internalise his own thoughts."

As an only child, music became Jason’s chance to navigate in unfamiliar settings, to make new friends and build up his confidence in the world. From this, he gained a music scholarship to study at Westminster School and has never looked back. Composing new music with performances worldwide give him a strong spiritual connection to his surroundings.

His intellectual skills are challenged within an eight by eight grid. Taught by his uncle as a child (aged 7 years) and later playing his mum and dad chess became a special interest in his childhood. His passion now is in connecting music, chess and dance as he travels globally performing at various international chess tournaments. He invests his time and talent in the development of the game by buying three giant chess sets in Holland Park, London, Edinburgh and Paris (LEaP) guiding younger players in their quest to improve their chess.

"...water cascades off his hat in rivets!"

Jason launched ‘The Queen’s Journey’ in 2017 when Queen Elizabeth had been on the throne for 64 years (8x8) to encourage girls with talent and skills in chess to progress. Ballet Queens visualise and project ahead as a way of perceiving the 64 square chessboard not as a battle but as a sequence of ballet moves. A chess dance performance of power and grace.

A strong female in a ballet performance can also achieve greatness in a chess game. Continuing on this theme of visualisation and looking ahead he has also worked with the Royal Astronomical Society to free new thinking and realignment as our planet changes. Life, dance and music move within a bigger picture and spiritual framework.

In 2021 at the V&A museum ‘Curioser’ exhibition he is using the original drawings by Sir John Tenniel with Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice through the Looking Glass’. A journey of dance and music with visual exploration as Alice grows up and moves forward in his ballet. A visualisation performance as she looks ahead from a young girl becoming a woman and finally a Queen encapsulated and empowered within a black and white grid. Every move choreographed to explore actions and meaning, watch this space....

"...chess is not a battle but a ballet..."

Jason uses his surroundings to the best of his ability. When filming by the Thames a barge was moving up stream emblazoned on its side, ‘Recovery’, he explained that the ‘core’ is within this name. An inner strength is vital to make the best of our current situation. He believes that you must love yourself and support your own ability. In essence, to rediscover the sense of wonder in yourself mentally and your natural physical surroundings. The joy of the journey is a voyage of self-discovery. In your own framework a chance to filter out any unnecessary ‘noise’ and find your own rhyme and reason, rhythm and realignment in the harmony of humanity.