Stacks of books and recording equipment are not far from an open guitar case. These are the objects M.R. Poulopoulos spends time with these days. His focus is on his music and the materials that influence his playing. On warm days, the windows are open.

Sweetly melodic and often melancholy, as well as intelligent and soulful, Poulopoulos's songs, like him, are honest and eloquent. His guitar playing makes you want to tap your feet, or cry a little. Sometimes both. His lyrics, complemented by the steady strum or picked out tones of the guitar, always tell a story -some are sad, some are happy, and some, like his song "On and On," achieve both with a humorous spin -and they're always poignant.

His musical influences vary, but their common foundation is American blues and roots music. The artists he's most influenced by these days include Jeffrey Foucault, Danny Schmidt, John Prine, Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt, John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, Matt Durfee, John Rice, Courtney Blackwell and the Blackwell Sinners, Red Haired Strangers, Jill Andrews, the everybodyfields. His many influences lend him to the acoustic singer/songwriter style, but without sounding like anyone in particular-his music is very much his own.

Poulopoulos's past released work include Lazaretto, an EP he released with Matt Durfee as the acoustic duo, Palatypus. He is currently recording a solo album of songs (Greenhorn) to be released in early 2011.

Stacks of books and recording equipment are not far from an open guitar case. These are the objects M.R. Poulopoulos spends time with these days. His focus is on his music and the materials that influence his playing. On warm days, the windows are open.

Sweetly melodic and often melancholy, as well as intelligent and soulful, Poulopoulos's songs, like him, are honest and eloquent. His guitar playing makes you want to tap your feet, or cry a little. Sometimes both. His lyrics, complemented by the steady strum or picked out tones of the guitar, always tell a story -some are sad, some are happy, and some, like his song "On and On," achieve both with a humorous spin -and they're always poignant.

His musical influences vary, but their common foundation is American blues and roots music. The artists he's most influenced by these days include Jeffrey Foucault, Danny Schmidt, John Prine, Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt, John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, Matt Durfee, John Rice, Courtney Blackwell and the Blackwell Sinners, Red Haired Strangers, Jill Andrews, the everybodyfields. His many influences lend him to the acoustic singer/songwriter style, but without sounding like anyone in particular-his music is very much his own.

Poulopoulos's past released work include Lazaretto, an EP he released with Matt Durfee as the acoustic duo, Palatypus. He is currently recording a solo album of songs (Greenhorn) to be released in early 2011.

BenKN is an electro-acoustic musician, multimedia artist, and illustrator. Formerly a co-frontman for Los Angeles-based indie rock gypsies, Jupiter Sunrise, Ben's new solo music augments his familiar, tour beaten guitar riffage with electronically produced soundscapes of subtle synths, beats, and organic samples.

Ben also creates silkscreen poster art & clothing designs for Design it Together, a studio he co-founded with designer Taylor Gillis. Many of Ben's designs promote sources of renewable energy, conservation, and other issues close to his heart.

Making great strides in art and music circles, BenKN is a fast becoming a crowd favorite among the numerous art and music festivals at which he performs and exhibits his work.

In 2008, Ben released his first solo EP, We Are Giants Now via Collar City Records. His forthcoming record, "The Reverie of Ruby Star," (working title) is currently being recorded and planned for a Spring 2011 release.

Over the course of his career Ben has toured or shared the stage with Elliot Smith, Hello Goodbye, Coheed and Cambria, the Roots, They Might Be Giants, Onelinedrawing (Jonah Matrenga), Ludo, and many other artists of note.

Hand-picked by MySpace founder Tom Anderson, Ben performed for the entirety of Van's Warped Tour in 2005 as the MySpace "house band" with his previous project, Jupiter Sunrise.

Tom Anderson saw Ben performing his song, Steal Me, unplugged in the middle of the crowd at the Hotel Cafe, and he maintains it was "the best live-music experience of my life."

BenKN is an electro-acoustic musician, multimedia artist, and illustrator. Formerly a co-frontman for Los Angeles-based indie rock gypsies, Jupiter Sunrise, Ben's new solo music augments his familiar, tour beaten guitar riffage with electronically produced soundscapes of subtle synths, beats, and organic samples.

Ben also creates silkscreen poster art & clothing designs for Design it Together, a studio he co-founded with designer Taylor Gillis. Many of Ben's designs promote sources of renewable energy, conservation, and other issues close to his heart.

Making great strides in art and music circles, BenKN is a fast becoming a crowd favorite among the numerous art and music festivals at which he performs and exhibits his work.

In 2008, Ben released his first solo EP, We Are Giants Now via Collar City Records. His forthcoming record, "The Reverie of Ruby Star," (working title) is currently being recorded and planned for a Spring 2011 release.

Over the course of his career Ben has toured or shared the stage with Elliot Smith, Hello Goodbye, Coheed and Cambria, the Roots, They Might Be Giants, Onelinedrawing (Jonah Matrenga), Ludo, and many other artists of note.

Hand-picked by MySpace founder Tom Anderson, Ben performed for the entirety of Van's Warped Tour in 2005 as the MySpace "house band" with his previous project, Jupiter Sunrise.

Tom Anderson saw Ben performing his song, Steal Me, unplugged in the middle of the crowd at the Hotel Cafe, and he maintains it was "the best live-music experience of my life."

Olivia Quillio has been writing original music for 4 years. Her influences draw from personal heartache, jazz, funk, r&b and folk music. Her voice and songs tell a story that can only keep unfolding. Her life pursuit with songwriting continues this summer when she takes it on the road down the East Coast and up through the Midwestern United States. Find out more at oliviaquillio.com

Olivia Quillio has been writing original music for 4 years. Her influences draw from personal heartache, jazz, funk, r&b and folk music. Her voice and songs tell a story that can only keep unfolding. Her life pursuit with songwriting continues this summer when she takes it on the road down the East Coast and up through the Midwestern United States. Find out more at oliviaquillio.com

James Frederick is a fairly harmless singer/songwriter from the Capital District area of New York State. Having played at various open mics, cafes, and random street corners in the area, James quietly crept on to the local music scene with nothing more than a guitar and a humble collection of unobtrusive, likable songs. His Soft-Spoken Rock/Folk Style is derived from a love of contemporary songwriters like Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), as well as, traditional greats Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. James is one of five rotating hosts at the famed Caffe Lena's open mic and has a mostly healthy obsession with plaid shirts.

James Frederick is a fairly harmless singer/songwriter from the Capital District area of New York State. Having played at various open mics, cafes, and random street corners in the area, James quietly crept on to the local music scene with nothing more than a guitar and a humble collection of unobtrusive, likable songs. His Soft-Spoken Rock/Folk Style is derived from a love of contemporary songwriters like Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), as well as, traditional greats Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. James is one of five rotating hosts at the famed Caffe Lena's open mic and has a mostly healthy obsession with plaid shirts.

Inspired by their fans who love their energetic live performances and who have been anxiously waiting to hear new material since the debut of LOVE (Feb. 2009), the 7-piece group churns out a "futuristic retro" R&B pop sound on LOVE/LIVE featuring rich vocal harmonies and tasteful instrumentation while combining everything from pop to hip-hop to old school R&B to surf rock. LOVE/LIVE was recorded at the renowned Warming Room Studios in Albany. Each instrument was recorded simultaneously giving the album a distinctive, live feel that will have fans and music aficionados wanting more! LOVE/LIVE will have the band's signature sound of a mix of catchy melodies and groove-oriented beats which continues to earn the band a huge fan base selling out shows constantly in the Capitol Region scene. As a producer, Joshua "Mirk" Mirsky has worked with Ciara producing the remix for "Never-Ever" featuring Yung Jeezy from her Fantasy Ride album; Petey Pablo producing "What You Know About It" from his gold selling album "Still Writing In My Diary: 2nd Entry" and Eamon's Platinum selling album "I Don't Want You Back." Mirk also plans on working with Kid Cudi, Salam Remy, Gnarles Barkley, Jack Splash, Mysto & Pizzie, Sam Sparrow, Curtains, Christian Rich and The Crookers.

Inspired by their fans who love their energetic live performances and who have been anxiously waiting to hear new material since the debut of LOVE (Feb. 2009), the 7-piece group churns out a "futuristic retro" R&B pop sound on LOVE/LIVE featuring rich vocal harmonies and tasteful instrumentation while combining everything from pop to hip-hop to old school R&B to surf rock. LOVE/LIVE was recorded at the renowned Warming Room Studios in Albany. Each instrument was recorded simultaneously giving the album a distinctive, live feel that will have fans and music aficionados wanting more! LOVE/LIVE will have the band's signature sound of a mix of catchy melodies and groove-oriented beats which continues to earn the band a huge fan base selling out shows constantly in the Capitol Region scene. As a producer, Joshua "Mirk" Mirsky has worked with Ciara producing the remix for "Never-Ever" featuring Yung Jeezy from her Fantasy Ride album; Petey Pablo producing "What You Know About It" from his gold selling album "Still Writing In My Diary: 2nd Entry" and Eamon's Platinum selling album "I Don't Want You Back." Mirk also plans on working with Kid Cudi, Salam Remy, Gnarles Barkley, Jack Splash, Mysto & Pizzie, Sam Sparrow, Curtains, Christian Rich and The Crookers.