<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<B>CARTER, COBB, COLEMAN, STERN: <I>4 Generations of Miles</I></B><BR> George Coleman, tenor sax; Mike Stern, electric guitar; Ron Carter, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums<BR> Chesky JD238 (CD). 2002. David Chesky, prod.; Barry Wolifson, eng.; Nicholas Prout, mastering. DDD. TT: 67:06<BR> Performance <B>****&#189;</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>

The <A HREF="http://www.riaa.com">Recording Industry Association of America</A> (RIAA) has gone on record opposing the <A HREF="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A11926">Artistic Freedom Act</A>, introduced for consideration by the New York State Assembly on October 28 by Speaker Sheldon Silver. The bill would free artists from long-term contracts&mdash;now sometimes as long as 25 years&mdash;and would give them "free agency" status.

The latest figures for the music industry remain grim: Online sales of recorded music have dropped 20% through the first half of 2002 compared with the same period last year, losing ground faster than the overall US music market, which lost 7% during the same period, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). And the trend is accelerating. The latest numbers show online sales down 25% in the third quarter over last year.

John Atkinson and Arnis Balgalvis audition the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/703/">Avalon Eclipse loudspeaker</A>, whose quasi-anechoic TDS response prompted JA to exclaim, "Boy, that's flat!" But is flat where it's at? AB thought so: "The sound I heard was truly outstanding."