Ossi Maristo – Arc (Eclipse Music, 2021)
Finnish guitarist Ossi Maristo released a superb solo album in 2021 titled Arc. The album draws clear inspiration from the guitar style of progressive rock and fusion innovator Allan Holdsworth, especially his contemporary jazz-rock leaning side. This is exemplified by Maristo’s exhilarating, rapid-fire solos and progressive rock style harmonically rich writing. At the same, keyboard sections recall the work of Lyle Mays with Pat Metheny.
Opening tracks like “The Hunt” and “Supernovae” deliver high-energy performances with intricate sections, agile melodies, and a versatile rhythm section. Other pieces feature less intensity, moving through reflective, dreamy, and conversational passages that highlight strong ensemble interplay.
Maristo describes Arc as both a personal milestone and a study in composition that helped him push his playing in new directions. He says the album aims to present his guitar work in its “purest” form, with an emphasis on clear musical communication.
Although the record carries Maristo’s name, he credits key contributions from Kasperi Kallio, Jonne Taavitsainen, and Tapio Backlund, who he says helped craft the final results through their musical insight and virtuosity. Maristo also points to Niko Laasonen for the album’s mastering, noting that the finished sound exceeded what he expected from the earliest demos.
Maristo, a Helsinki-based guitarist in his thirties, began music studies on piano at age nine before switching to guitar at twelve. He later studied music technology at the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory (accepted in 2010) and performance at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (accepted in 2011). After a decade of sessions, television work, and live performances with numerous bands and artists, he moved into releasing original material with Arc.
Musicians: Jonne Taavitsainen on drums; Tapio Backlund on bass; Kasperi Kallio on keyboards; Ossi Maristo on guitars
Recording & mixing – Niko Laasonen / Vastavaihe Oy.
Mastering – Virtalähde Mastering.
Album artwork by Anna-Leena Kirves.
Buy Arc
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.