released November 27, 2004

mUD: Guitar, Vocal, WurliTzer
Lori Beth Edgeman: Vocal for Jackson
Joe Burton: Trombone
Snave: Flute, Bass, Harmonies
Eskil Wetterqvist: Drums, Harmonies

Reviews:

I’ll Be Young Once, too.
Mudcat
By Lori Presnell - Atlanta Blues Society

First and foremost - buy this cd! And then, roll your windows down on a sunny afternoon, pick up a drinking buddy (or two), and ride – you’ll quickly forget about urban sprawl, congestion, and vast commercialism. Mudcat’s music transports you to another place in time – back to the days of Son House, Otha Turner, and Robert Johnson, among many other musical greats. His style pays homage to the Delta, incorporates the finger picking style of Piedmont blues, and encompasses country, jazz, Dixie, Cajun and all the incarnations of Southern music. Words don’t do it, it’s like Elvis Costello once said, “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's really a stupid thing to want to do.”

Mudcat’s music traverses more styles than I can name, but he can definitely sing the real deal, authentic, rough, raw, down-home, dirty, hip shakin’ blues, leaving the run-of-the-mill blues rockers way behind. With his music, you’ll find something real and that something will sneak up on you between the notes and lay down in your soul with the burning intensity of his slide guitar. Before you know it, you’re dancing, drinking, and feeling the urge to take a road trip to the Louisiana bayou.

The first cut “Heaven” hits the floor running with the fife and marching drums. Danny’s vocals are right on and easy on the ear, but raw enough for authentic blues. All I can say is this: I wanna go to Heaven.

“I’ll be young once, too” might be a song inspired by his work with the “true pioneers and forgotten heroes” that he works so diligently to support through Music Makers Relief Foundation. The lyrics, “I’ll be young once, too. I should have listened to you.” are reminiscent of the sage advise that could be offered by the aged and then sadly wasted on the young. This tune starts off easy and then is bumped up several notches with Danny’s exemplary guitar work. It’s a tribute to his versatility as an artist.

In Son House’s “Coolin’ Board,“ Mud proves once and for all that he is the real deal, authentic blues man (even though, with his lopsided grin and floppy hat, you think he stumbled here from the Louisiana swamps and bayous). Mudcat offers up an extraordinary version of this song, and pays tribute to Son with the vocal power and musical intensity of this recording.

After Mudcat sends a musical a summons to Heaven, he dives down to the bottom of the bottle with a couple of songs about liquor and whiskey. If he hadn’t already won me over with this cd several cuts before, he pays tribute to one of my personal heroes, Johhny Cash, with an excellent rendition of “Jackson.”

To sum it up, anything that Mudcat produces is going to be great. Listen and you’ll be a believer, too.

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Mudcat
“I’ll Be Young Once Too”
Music Maker

By Robbie Huck

The cd starts. An acoustic guitar slides in, followed by a snare drum tapping out a swinging march. The first thing I did was dance over to the player, press stop, turn it up, and start it again.

“Heaven Is Mine”, a Neal Pattman Blues cover, begins the cd. The moment the vocals hit your ears you are eager to hear more. Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck’s voice is addictive, like a lover's whisper. Full, masculine, compelling celestial bits.

The new release features 14 tracks including 7 Dudeck originals. "I'll Be Young Once Too," the title cut, is fueled by a timeless wisdom collected from elder Blues artists. Dudeck notes, "Since I was a young boy I've befriended several veteran musicians including Dixieland great Sam Gill who invited me on his set when I was 17 and quite a guitar novice.”

This recording is proof that it has been many moons since Dudeck was a novice. The originals are unique blends of Blues, Country and Dixieland Jazz with a shot of Alternative Pop. “Liquor & Sin” has a popish Wurlitzer sound that resembles a Beck song that played on the radio.

The Son House, Willie McTell, Brownie McGhee covers have trans-generational arrangements that are nothing short of sonic celebrations of the work of masters.

Dudeck, still thirty-something, was 2004 WRFG Blues Barbecue artist honoree and is an 8-year board member of the Music Maker Relief Foundation. Both WRFG and Music Maker received prestigious Blues Foundation Keeping the Blues Alive awards this year, verifying Dudeck is walking the walk of a new millennium Bluesman.

Mudcat, the band, is an ensemble of gifted musicians lead by Dudeck. “I’ll Be Young Once Too” is Dudeck’s fifth studio recording and features Jr. Wells’ former band member, Lil’ Joe Burton on trombone; Snave on bass and flute; Eskil Wetterqvist behind the drums and Lori Beth Edgeman in a vocal duet with Dudeck in a revved up rendition of Johnny Cash’s classic, “Jackson“. Dudeck is not only an extraordinary slide guitarist and vocalist he is the groove on the Wurlitzer.

Roots and Blues fans in Atlanta, Washington, New York, Switzerland, France and beyond know Mudcat for their captivating stage performances. This cd records the magic of the shared consciousness of the band and captures the simple richness of the music . Each song is one take mixed live. Without need for overdubs.

This is music that you will turn up and play again.