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Critic's Review
Thom Owens, All Music Guide
Drawn from Duke Ellington's earliest recordings for Brunswick and Vocalion labels, The Best of Early Ellington is an excellent single-disc sampler that offers some of his most famous songs -- including "Mood Indigo" and "East St. Louis Toodle-oo," as well as "Creole Rhapsody," his first extended composition -- in their first recorded versions. Although jazz purists would prefer complete box sets, The Best of Early Ellington works as a terrific introduction for neophytes and casual fans.
