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Duke EllingtonThe Best Of Duke Ellington

Vinyl pressings

The Best Of Duke Ellington

by Duke Ellington · 1970

15 pressings4 countriesBig BandJazz

The Best Of Duke Ellington was first pressed on vinyl in 1970. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.

How to spot a first pressing of The Best Of Duke Ellington

6 pressings came out in 1970, the album's first year, in 2 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.

Germany

1970
Label and catalog number
Top Classic Historia H 621Top Classic Historia H - 621
Format
LP, Compilation
Runout / matrix

H-621-A PF JAN70Runout hand-etched side A

H-621-B PF JAN70Runout hand-etched side B

Matr. Nr. 621 aMatrix on label side A

Matr. Nr. 621 bMatrix on label side B

Full details of this pressing

Italy

January 1970
Label and catalog number
Joker SM 3056
Format
LP, Compilation
Runout / matrix

H-621-A PF JAN 70Runout side A, etched

H-621-B PF JAN 70Runout side B, etched

Full details of this pressing

Italy

1970
Label and catalog number
Joker SM 3056/EJoker SM 3056
Format
LP, Compilation
Runout / matrix

H-621-A PF JAN 70Runout side A, etched

H-621-B PF JAN 70Runout side B, etched

SM 3056 ALabel side A

SM 3056 BLabel side B

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 15 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1970s11 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1970GermanyTop Classic Historia H 621 / Top Classic Historia H - 621First yearLP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1970GermanyTop Classic Historia H 621 / Top Classic Historia H - 621First yearLP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1970ItalyJoker SM 3056First yearLP, Compilation, Mono · MonoLP, Compilation, Mono · Mono
1970ItalyJoker SM 3056/E / Joker SM 3056First yearLP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1970ItalyJoker SM 3056First yearLP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1970ItalyJoker SM 3056First yearLP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1971ItalyJoker SM 3056LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue
1971ItalyJoker SM 3056LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue
1971ItalyJoker SM 3056LP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1971ItalyJoker SM 3056LP, CompilationLP, Compilation
1975SpainGramusic GM-348LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue
Year unknown4 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
?UnknownJoker SM 3056LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue
?ItalyJoker SM 3056LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue
?JapanMetronome CUL-1023-ELP, Compilation, Mono · MonoLP, Compilation, Mono · Mono
?SpainGramusic GM-348LP, Compilation, ReissueLP, Compilation, Reissue

Tracklist

  1. A1East St. Louis Toodle-oo3:01
  2. A2Black And Tan Fantasy3:04
  3. A3Creole Love Call3:09
  4. A4The Mooche3:28
  5. A5Mood Indigo3:02
  6. A6Rockin' In Rhythm2:57
  7. B1Echoes Of The Jungle3:23
  8. B2Harlem Speaks3:05
  9. B3Caravan2:37
  10. B4Conga Brava2:54
  11. B5Cotton Tail3:08
  12. B6Take The „A” Train2:58

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of The Best Of Duke Ellington are there?

15 vinyl pressings of The Best Of Duke Ellington are listed here, from 4 countries, released between 1970 and 1975.

When was The Best Of Duke Ellington first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1970, in Germany, Italy. One of them is Top Classic Historia H 621.

How do I tell if my copy of The Best Of Duke Ellington is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use H 621, SM 3056, SM 3056/E) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, H-621-A PF JAN70 and H-621-B PF JAN70. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is The Best Of Duke Ellington on vinyl worth?

It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.

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