The 16 contestants in the second annual American Beatbox Championships take the stage on Sunday, armed with their voices and some microphones. Check out some images from the first-ever competition and open your ears.

Jesse Harris brings his laid-back jazzy songwriting style to Le Poisson Rouge Tuesday night. Download his instrumental track "Little Star" here.

Toshi Reagon is a songwriter who combines a blues-and-soul sensibility with rock-and-roll swagger and thoughtful commentary. Download "Beauty" here, from her upcoming album There and Back Again.

On a recent Saturday, "The Writers Studio Reading Series" celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Yale Review. Listen to Louise Glück, Caryl Phillips, Edmund White and Michael Cunningham read from their work at the event.

Deborah Amos, Philip Gourevich, Arnon Grunberg, Sebastian Junger and Daniele Mastrogiacomo talked about the role of the journalist in war for a PEN World Voices Festival panel held at Le Poisson Rouge. Listen to their conversation here.

When poet Philip Schultz was preparing for a literary conference in Ireland a year ago, he turned to the works of Irish writer Colm Tóibín. Little did he know they would be flying to Ireland on the same plane, and that he'd be face-to-face with the author in the same cab. They reunited on Friday night at Le Poisson Rouge.

Writers including  Kate Walbert and Marie Howe read dramatic, hilarious, heart-breaking works. Stream their readings here.