Hailing from the Southern Californian coast, the present foursome bearing the name Cosmologic jumps right out of the gate from the git-go. In their hour-long gambit, this unit bumps and grinds from all sides. Moreover, tenor-man Jason Robinson, trombonist Michael Dessen and drummer Nathan Hubbard chip in with pieces of their own (the only non-contributor being bassist Scott Walton); in so doing, they offer us a range of musical perspectives that include structured improvisations, buoyant free-boppish mazeways and a wistful ballad by record's end (and with an unexpected solo from the drummer, too). Recorded at a venue in La Jolla, this band appears to have been energized by its live surroundings. With motivated and talented young musicians of this calibre, there's no doubt that jazz can still be a creative force, both for the present and the future. Long gone are the days when things West Coast were considered pallid in relation to anything East Coast, and for any of the doubters out there, here's the proof positive.

Marc Chenard - Coda Magazine (May/June 2001)

Robinson returns on [Staring at the Sun] with the piano-less quartet Cosmologic where the aggressive trombone of Dessen does combat with Robinson's tenor in a very overt display of power. The music is quite unlike the group style discussed in the preceding review. Robinson dons a more dynamic, freewheeling hat, while the band, thrust forward by the open and explosive drumming of Hubbard, builds the selections to intense peaks of clamorous excitement. It is reminiscent of the reed/brass clashes of Tchicai and Rudd of the 1960s when musicians were experimenting with unstructured music sans piano. Dessen thrusts himself into the music with vigor. He plays with a growling, nervy style to match the pugnacity of Robinson. The two often move the battlefield into the collective arena where they pit their outbursts against each other in gladiator fashion.

The performance was recorded live and includes seven selections, all of which were composed by either Robinson, Dessen, or Hubbard. Whle the two horn players have the center stage, the undercurrent is continually being swirled by Hubbard and bassist Walton. They swarm in eddies of motion to establish a backdrop of free-rhythm potency. The two go non-stop with their energized delivery while Robinson and Dessen bounce their own waves of brawniness off each other. The pace slows on two selections when Cosmologic tempers the movement with near-spiritual communication. Eerie arco bass and shimmering cymbals support the drone of the horns to calm the waters momentarily. In either mode, the group dynamics of Cosmologic are in full effect, and the music is commanding. As a unit, these four musicians click.

Frank Rubolino - Cadence Magazine (Jan 2001)