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Cosmologic

Cosmologic traverses the broad terrain of creative jazz and improvised music, integrating high-energy playing, intense introspection, rich grooves, open textures, and collective alchemy. Central to the group's sound is a commitment to developing challenging and original compositions. While profoundly dedicated to improvisation, Cosmologic also performs complex pieces that are composed by an individual member and then transformed through extensive group work. This process often leads the quartet into complex musical landscapes, while drawing on the individual strengths of each member. With nearly a decade of experience together, Cosmologic continues to extend their repertoire of original music, in an ongoing search for new ideas. Cosmologic History

Cosmologic was founded as a collective quartet in 1999, and still consists of the original four musicians. The group initially incorporated interpretations of music by Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane and other artists into their performances, but quickly moved towards playing only original compositions by its members.

In the fall of 1999, Cosmologic used a weekly engagement at the Galoka Jazz Scene in La Jolla, California to develop its repertoire and sound. After half a year of weekly concerts to enthusiastic audiences at Galoka, Cosmologic recorded its first live album there, Staring at the Sun (2000), featuring all original compositions. The CD release concert at the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library in La Jolla featured a guest appearance by renowned trombonist George Lewis.

In 2002, Cosmologic's West Coast tour culminated in a live CD recording at Trummerflora's Rubble on Spruce series at Spruce Street Forum in San Diego. This was released as the group's second album, Syntaxis (2002).

In September of 2005, Cosmologic released III, their third album of all original compositions, featuring special guest appearances by guitarist Al Scholl. It included a live performance at the Zeitgeist series (Mat Bevel Institute) in Tucson, Arizona, as well as studio recordings made in Termite Studios in San Marcos, California.

Fall 2005 also marked Cosmologic's first tour of the Northeast US and Ontario, including an appearance at the Guelph Jazz Festival. And in Spring 2007, the quartet did their first European tour, performing in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In December of 2007, Cosmologic recorded a fourth album of all original material, titled Eyes in the Back of My Head, which will be released on Cuneiform Records in May, 2008.

Cosmologic Members

Reedist, composer and scholar Jason Robinson divides his time between performing, research and teaching. In 1998, Robinson founded Circumvention Music, an artist-run independent record label dedicated to the support and distribution of improvised musics. He has performed/recorded with Peter Kowald, George Lewis, Anthony Davis, Eugene Chadbourne, Earl Howard, Emily Hay, Jeff Kaiser, Eek a Mouse, Bertram Turetzky, Mel Graves, Marco Eneidi, Mike Wofford, Philip Gelb, J.D. Parran, Gerry Hemingway, Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (at Pearl's, San Francisco), the La Jolla Symphony, SONOR (among others), as well as theater-oriented groups such as the San Francisco Mime Troupe and the New Pickle Circus. Robinson is also a published author and teaches regularly at the University of California (Irvine and San Diego campuses). He holds a Ph.D. in Music. Robinson's 2002 release Tandem (Accretions Records) was a 2002 critic's pick in JazzTimes Magazine. He recently received a Grammy nomination for his performance on Toots and the Maytals’ latest release, Light Your Light (2007/Fantasy). Robinson is the founder and artistic director of Circumvention Music and a member of the San Diego-based Trummerflora Collective.

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Album Review

Cosmologic: Eyes in the Back of My Head

Read "Eyes in the Back of My Head" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Where does one find one's muse? Jason Robinson (tenor saxophone), Michael Dessen (trombone), Scott Walton (bass) and Nathan Hubbard (drums), who band together as Cosmologic, found it in jazz, in improvised music, in classical tangents, and in their own palpitating imaginations. They have has been together since 1999 and have forged a strong bond over that time. Their perspicacity and ability to capture the unusual gives their music a rather exceptional focus.

Cosmologic weaves jazz harmonies in the freer atmosphere ...

408
Album Review

Cosmologic: Eyes in the Back of My Head

Read "Eyes in the Back of My Head" reviewed by Troy Collins


In today's world of all-star studio sessions and endless collaborative side-projects, longstanding working bands are growing increasingly uncommon. Cosmologic is a splendid example of such a rarefied entity. Honing their tightly knit sound for almost a decade, the San Diego based acoustic quartet was formed in 1999 by tenor saxophonist Jason Robinson, trombonist Michael Dessen, bassist Scott Walton and drummer Nathan Hubbard, the same line-up featured today. Preceded by three self-released albums, their debut for Cuneiform Records, Eyes in The ...

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"More than impressive." --Brian Morton, The Wire

"...a gem of crisp ensemble-playing and finely calibrated improvisations..." --San Diego Union Tribune

"The most exhilarating band performance of the entire five days [of the Guelph Jazz Festival]" --Musicworks

"Cosmologic made an impact with their hard hitting attack." --Cadence

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Eyes In The Back Of...

Cuneiform Records
2008

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The Rumpus

From: Eyes In The Back Of My Head
By Cosmologic

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