 The suite represents one of Ellington's early extended compositions and was commissioned for the Liberian centennial.The "Liberian Suite" was released on CD as bonus tracks on "Ellington Uptown" in 2004.The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars and stated ""Liberian Suite" was his first international commission, from the government of the African nation, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding by freed American slaves-it was the first formal manifestation of a process by which Ellington would be a virtual musical ambassador to the world by the end of the next decade.