Renaldo Domino [2023] - I Love My Girl / I'm Hip To Your Game [Epsilon #EPS 019]

Back in Jan 2021 we did a full feature on Renaldo Domino so are very pleased to see that the latest release from Yann Vatiste's Epsilon label are two sides of his first single released on the tiny Arnell label, "I Love My Girl" / "I'm Hip To Your Game" in 1967.

However, Yann has informed us that, unfortunately, the quality of the original Arnell master tape wasn't of sufficient quality to use (as we stated in the feature a couple of years ago it was a low budget production) so it is the later 1968 Smash release that has been used, which to be fair is probably the better version.

We won't regurgitate the previous article here, just summarise, so if you wish to learn more about the artist then visit "Renaldo Domino - Discography". He recorded some great songs with that Chicago mid/late 60s sound, sadly none of them dented the R&B charts.

Domino is a nickname given to him as his voices was 'as sweet as sugar' and Domino was the name of a sugar brand in the US. His real name is Renaldo Jones and after retiring from music when released by Twinight in 1971, he made a comeback in recent years with several singles. 

His first single was as Renaldo Domino & The Orientations and are the two songs released by Epsilon, with the above caveat. The songs were written by two obscure writers, Melvin Johns who wrote the A side and the B side with Nate Taylor, and produced by William Sandy Johnson (who also worked with LaShawn Collins and Wendy Woods, both of whom have seen action on NS dancefloors) and a J. Parnell.

I believe that this is the first ever vinyl reissue for either side, although it appears "I'm Hip To Your Game" was released on a 'dodgy' looking CD "The Best of Northern Soul, Vol. 4" issued by Malibu Public Library in 2019.

Available now from Epsilon Records £17.50 incl. UK P&P or £22.50 worldwide.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Epsilon
Cat No:	EPS 109
Date:	03/02/2023
Price:	£17.50 (UK) or £22.50 (worldwide) incl. P&P

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Renaldo Domino - Discography

Born Ronaldo Edward Jones in March 1950, he was nicknamed Domino because his voice was sweet as sugar, Domino being an American sugar brand name.

He had a relatively short recording career releasing only 7 singles between 1967-1971.  His first 45 was recorded whilst he was still attending high school on a tiny label Arnell on a low budget. It is the only release on the label listed on Discogs and isn't even listed on 45Cat. I can't find a sound clip for the B side so suspect it is probably quite rare now as they only pressed a small amount, and was possibly a private/custom press. I only found 2 listed on Popsike, the last one selling in 2016 for £500, the other copy sold in 2013 for $321 but the condition was desribed as poor with stained and written on labels.

I did actually find another release on the label (Arnell #1002) written by the same writer (Melvin Johns), Magnificents - Don't Grip / Song For My Father. I don't know if it's the Horace Silver song as no label scan for it.  

The Arnell 45 did well enough for him to get signed to Smash (a Mercury subsidiary) where he released two 45s, re-recording 'I'm Hip To Your Game' for his second Smash single, as it's a different version to the one released on Arnell.  His third 45 was released on another Mercury subsidiary, the now revived Blue Rock which had been 'suspended' since 1966 and reacivated in 1968.  The records sold reasonably well locally but Dominio left to join Twinight, feeling that his material wasn't being promoted by Mercury, where he released a further three singles between 1969-71. Twinight released him in 1971 and despite trying to get another recording contract he was unsuccessful and left the music business to pursue another career.

He was managed by William Sandy Johnson who also managed LaShawn Collins and Wendy Woods who recorded on Johnson's Sincere label, the only 2 releases on the label.  He also wrote Renaldo Domino's first 4 A sides: 'I'm Getting Nearer To Your Love', 'Just Say The Word', 'Not Too Cool To Cry', 'Let Me Come Within'.  In addition he wrote 'Do It Now' for Wendy Woods and the flip to LaShawn Collin's classic 'What You Gonna Do Now',  'Girl Chooses The Boy'. 

In 2007 Numero group reissued Not Too Cool To Cry / Nevermore on a look alike Twinight label with the same cat. no. as the original and he has subsequently released 4 new singles in 2008, 2017, 2019 and 2020 so is still active.  It is his photo that appeared on the sleeve of Numero Group's Eccentric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation which features his complete Twinight catalogue.

Here's some footage posted on 26 Sep 2020 of him performing. It features his latest single released in 2020 so I assume that it must have been recorded last year.  I must say that he looks very sprightly for being 71.

1 - Let Me Come Within 1970

2 - Not Too Cool to Cry 1969

3 - No Laggin’ and Draggin’ 2020

4 - Move On Up

Discography

Renaldo Domino & The Orientations

1967 - I'm Hip To Your Game / I Love My Girl [Arnell #1001]

The original cut and different from the one later released on Smash. A 'softer' more lo-fi version released on Arnell

Renaldo Domino

1967 - I'm Getting Nearer To Your Love / Don't Go Away [Smash #S-2127]

A: Soul Harmony

B: Northern Soul

1968 - I'm Hip To Your Game / You Don't Love Me No More [Smash #S-2160]

A: Sweet Soul Harmony

B: Northern Soul

1968 - Just Say The Word / Don't Go Away [Blue Rock #B-4061]

A: 'Dreamy' mid-paced NS/crossover/Soul Harmony

B: Same as track released on Smash

1969 - Not Too Cool To Cry / Nevermore [Twinight #128]

A: Deep Soul Harmony

B: Deep soul

God forbid, apparently Cherly Cole sampled Nevermore on Heaven in 2009!

1970 - Let Me Come Within / I'm A Good Man [Twinight #139]

A: Funky

B: Superb soulful Deep Soul Harmony

1971 - You Need To Be Loved On / I'm A Good Man [Twinight #147]

A: Funky

B: Same as Twinight 139

Later Releases:

2008 - I'll Get You Back / Two Years, Four Days [Sincere #ES-004]

A: Sweet Soul Harmony ballad

B: Modern soul / crossover / Neo Northern Soul

2017 - Mercy On Me / Lady (You Are My Woman) [Pravda]

A: Deep Soul ballad

B: Deep Soul ballad

2019 - Never Thought / xRob Black - Never Thought (Versio) [Happy As A Lark]

A: A reggae tune

B: Reggae 'version'

2020 - No Laggin' And Draggin' / Give Up The Love [Colemine #CLMN-180]

A: Funky Northern Soul

B: Neo Northern Soul