Artist description Italy’s heaviest Hammond-fueled 6T’s beat quartet on the scene today.

Music Style 6T's Hammond Beat

Musical Influences James Taylor Quartet, Booker T, Meters, Brian Auger, Georgie Fame

Similar Artists James Taylor Quartet, Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E.

Artist History The Link Quartet were formed in 1991 by Renzo Bassi (bass), Mauarizio Girgenti (hammond), Giulio “Link” Cardini (guitar), and Chuck Bergenzi (drums). Joined by Tony “Face” Bacciocchi (percussion) in 1993, The Link Quartet would spend several years building their reputation as a leading force in the Italian club scene playing their special blend of 6T’s Hammond-fueled beat music. In 1998, the band, with a growing lineup that featured a horn section, would finally record their self-titled debut single for Spain’s Animal Records. Featuring 3 original songs, including the self-important “Link Theme”, which after 7 years was certainly deserved! This in combination with a tour with UK’s leading Hammond powerhouse The James Taylor Quartet, left The Link Quartet prime for golden opportunities. A 2nd single for Animal, “Sgnapp”, followed in 1999, and sported a new and improved Hammond prodigy in the form Paolo “Apollo” Negri, whose nickname is truly deserved. More changes would occur leading up to the first Link Quartet album, with guitarist Cardini and drummer Bergonzi’s spots being filled by Fausto Mazza and Vittorio Solinas respectively, and the horn section gone, the band were back down to 5. Simply titled “Episode 1”, and including a somewhat loungier interpretation of the funk sound, the record solidly demonstrated the bands ability to grasp, and make their own, the spy flavoured tunes by the likes of Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin. “Episode 1” was released in 2001 as a limited run of 200 copies, which managed to find their way around the world via direct Internet sales, but alas they still had not broken out to find international fame. In 2002, Animal Records reissued “Episode 1”, which gave the band a better shot at global exposure, but also misrepresented the direction the band was beginning to move. Cardini returned to guitar duties, and Bacciocchi took over the drummer stool. The band settled back to their 6T’s roots, and traded in much of that lounge signature back to the funkier Hammond beat scene. And, they were at last a quartet once again, with the syncronicity and purpose necessary to make a great record. Along with the sound, The Link Quartet began to retool their image as well. With an eye on the United States, the band were determined to make an album that would demonstrate that they could carry the raw live energy from their shows into the studio. This was accomplished by writing more original material, and applying that creativity in a more aggressive way to both how they arranged cover songs, but even in how they were selected. They worked tirelessly with their new label producer, Hammondbeat, and their audiences in refining the material before commiting to it fully. This interaction with the audience was essential in defining what material was best suited to making this new record great. On October 31st 2002, Tony Bacciocchi’s birthday, The Link Quartet released the album that took a decade to come to be. Many who had enjoyed “Episode 1”, but did not consider it to be a record of greatness, were skeptical that The Link Quartet could evolve as a leader of the beat scene beyond their Italian borders. “Beat.It” proves to indeed be a record of greatness and has been well received by all that have heard it and are passionate about the genre. In 2003 Tony says that that The Link Quartet are ready to “conquer the world”.

Group Members PAOLO “APOLLO” NEGRI (hammond organ) GIULIO “LINK” CARDINI (guitar) RENZO BASSI (bass) TONY “FACE” BACCIOCCHI (drums)

Instruments hammond organ, guitar, bass, drums

Albums Episode 1 (2001), Beat.It (2002)

Press Reviews Many people today talk about the sixties...too many. Most of them are merely children of MTV, and look at beat and lounge music only for style. They’re puppets in the hands of the music market, the same market that will one day turn away from the sixities to find something else more interesting. This is not a problem for The Link Quartet. They were playing sixties music before the exotic-lounge explosion, they do it today and surely will do it tomorrow. With this new album, Beat.it, they underscore their leadership on the whole scene. Nobody can play Hammond-beat so strong, vital and warm in Italy, or Europe for that matter. Nobody can make music that suits, so perfectly, a 1968 London smoky-club. They show their love and knowledge of 40 years of instrumental beat music, a period of time that brings Brian Auger to James Taylor via the Prisoners experience. 200% British music that this Italian band manages to control totally and perfectly, leaving no time for questions or doubts. The twelve tracks included on Beat.it are a tribute to the sixties aesthetic, twelve little jewels, really enjoyable, contagious I would say, and without the compromise of the fashion-sounding easy-listening. The great versions of Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic” and “Happy Boys Happy” by The Small Faces, and above all some original tunes like “Alfa Romeo Duetto”, “Gianni Fuso Nerini” and “Strudel Girl”, are pure classic demonstrations in which the band goes straight to the core of sixities instrumental beat. An agile rhythm section, an acid guitar, and a Hammond organ that alternates between sounds full of sharpness and liquid atmospheres, combined with an undisputed talent. These are the elements that make The Link Quartet a true sixities band! Beat.it sounds warm, crude and really involving, as the band wanted it to be. So, probably, some Oasis-oriented listeners, far from the real meaning of sixties music, won’t like it, but this is the aim! From this point of view, Beat.it is not only a great instrumental beat album, but a le resistance invitation with no compromises. In the year 2002, sixties music is a thing for rogues or real artists, and if you hold this album in your hands you already know into which category The Link Quartet belong. Let’s go on like this and choose the best! � LUCA FRAZZI 2002 RUMORE magazine

Location Piacenza, Italy - Italy

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