A jubilant revival of soul’s golden age through sweat, swing, and shared memory
When The Dukes of September tore into “Sweet Soul Music” during Live at Lincoln Center, filmed in New York City in November 2012 for PBS’ Great Performances series, they were channeling a song whose legacy was already firmly etched into American music history. Originally recorded by Arthur Conley, “Sweet Soul Music” rose to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967, becoming both a celebration and a roll call of soul music’s architects. In the hands of The Dukes of September, the song was reborn not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing force at the heart of their dynamic rock and soul revue.
This performance captures the essence of what The Dukes of September represented at their peak. Featuring Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, and Boz Scaggs, the group was less a supergroup than a joyful congregation of seasoned voices united by a shared reverence for rhythm and blues. On the Lincoln Center stage, backed by a razor sharp horn section and a rhythm unit steeped in groove, “Sweet Soul Music” becomes a communal celebration, an invitation to remember not just the song, but the era that gave birth to it.
Musically, the arrangement is tight yet exuberant. The horns punch with authority, the rhythm section locks into a deep, rolling pocket, and the vocals glide with confidence born of decades on stage. There is no sense of strain or nostalgia for its own sake. Instead, the performance feels alive, grounded in mastery rather than memory. Each chorus lands with renewed conviction, proving that soul music’s power does not fade when treated with respect and understanding.
Lyrically, “Sweet Soul Music” has always functioned as both tribute and manifesto. By naming the artists and sounds that shaped a generation, the song affirms the cultural lineage of soul as something communal and proudly rooted. In this 2012 performance, that message takes on added resonance. The Dukes of September are themselves inheritors of that tradition, musicians whose own catalogs were deeply influenced by the very sounds Conley celebrated. Their delivery acknowledges this lineage without irony, transforming the song into a bridge between generations.
The Lincoln Center setting adds another layer of meaning. Traditionally associated with high culture and formal presentation, the venue becomes, for a moment, a sanctified dance hall. The audience responds not as passive observers, but as participants, swept into the groove by sheer momentum. This is soul music fulfilling its original purpose: to move bodies, lift spirits, and dissolve barriers.
Within the broader context of The Dukes of September’s brief but impactful run, “Sweet Soul Music” stands as a mission statement. It encapsulates their desire to honor the past while keeping it vibrant and relevant. There is deep affection in this performance, but also authority. These are musicians who understand that soul music lives not in perfection, but in feel, connection, and shared joy.
Watching this rendition today, one is reminded that great songs do not age, they wait. When placed in the right hands, at the right moment, they rise again with all their original power intact. In this performance, “Sweet Soul Music” does exactly that, reaffirming its place not just in history, but in the present tense of live performance.