God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be is something of a rarity in the Sun Ra catalog—a cohesive album, with none of the stylistic eclecticism and musical chair shifting found on many of the artist’s self-released LPs. Recorded at Variety Studios one day in 1979, the album's five tracks comprise a solid jazz trio set.

It's also unusual because it had not previously been reissued. In March 2018 Cosmic Myth Records issued a newly remastered edition in LP, CD and digital formats. The LP and CD packages contain liner notes by jazz historian Marc Medwin and Sun Ra catalog administrator Irwin Chusid (who produced the reissue), as well as two previously unpublished photos of Sun Ra by jazz portraitist Veryl Oakland.

God is More Than Love is the only complete piano-bass-drums studio session in the massive Sun Ra catalog. What would have drawn the bandleader, 25 years into his recording career, to adopt a format that had been common in jazz for decades? Drummer Samarai Celestial (Eric Walker) recalled it being his first recording date with Ra; they were joined by bassist Hayes Burnett, who gigged with Ra on and off for a... more

released March 22, 2018

PERSONNEL:
Sun Ra: piano
Hayes Burnett: bass
Samarai Celestial: drums

Original recordings produced by Sun Ra for Saturn Records
Recorded at Variety Studios, NYC, July 25, 1979
All titles composed by Sun Ra © Enterplanetary Koncepts (BMI)

Produced for reissue by Irwin Chusid
Mastered by Joe Lizzi, van Alst Sound East, Brooklyn, NY
Audio restoration by I.C.
Cover designed by Edley ODowd and I.C.
Special thanks to Craig Koon and Timothy Stollenwerk