Ronald Snijders

Dutch-Surinamese multi-instrumentalist and a jazz heavyweight who draws Latin, Brazilian and Surinamese influences into dialogue with the electric sound of Weather Report, Snijders released four albums between 1977 and 1983 that have become holy grails of deep, forward-thinking fusion. Over forty years, 50 releases and 5,000 compositions later, Penta represents a statement return from an unsung jazz great ready to pick up his dues. Born in Suriname and son of renowned composer and orchestra leader Eddy Snijders, Ronald Snijders made his name in the Netherlands - his 1977 debut album Natural Sources a remarkable and radical feat of self-determination. Released on his own label, Black Straight Records, the album featured only original compositions, for which Snijders played all the instruments, produced and mixed the album himself. Bucking the expectation that Surinamese or Caribbean musicians should only make party records, Snijders blazed a trail, cutting his second LP, A Safe Return in similarly independent circumstances in 1980. Working with a band for 1981’s Black Straight Music and 1983’s Quartz, Snijders crafted a discography that will be reissued by Night Dreamer. Although both Snijders and his father have been knighted for their services to music in the Netherlands, with Ronald receiving the country’s most prestigious jazz award, The Boy Edgar Prize, in 2022, his work has been largely obscured to the international jazz audiences.