Daily Choices: What to do on Tuesday, April 2 

Literary: Area authors Peter Connors and Albert Abonado will make their voices heard at the Little Theatre (240 East Ave.) for this month’s Authors Aloud! reading series, a collaboration between the Little and Writers & Books. The authors will read and discuss their work in this free event, which starts at 8 p.m. in the Little Café. Go to thelittle.org for other special events.

Music: Explore the sounds of Africa, India, and Latin America all at one concert when Cimarron, a seven-piece band from Colombia, performs in Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music (26 Gibbs St.) as part of the school's World Music Series. Cimarron is one of Colombia's most famous performers of llanera, the traditional dance music of Los Llanos, the people of Spanish, African, and Indigenous Indian descent who live in the plains of Colombia and Venezuela. The concert starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $10-$20 at the door. Visit esm.rochester.edu for more Eastman concerts.

Theater: Slavery, Judaism, and the Civil War – it sounds like a Quentin Tarantino movie waiting to happen. Instead, it's the dramatic material of "The Whipping Man," which premieres at 7:30 p.m. at the Geva Theatre Center (75 Woodbury Blvd.). The play, written by Matthew Lopez and directed by Tim Ocel, follows a Jewish Confederate soldier who returns home from the Civil War and befriends two of his family’s former slaves, who were both raised in Judaism. "The Whipping Man" continues at the Geva through Apr. 28 with matinee and evening performances. Tickets are $25-$54 and can be purchased through gevatheatre.org.

Music: With the amaranthine onslaught of bands like Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, and Bon Iver inspiring the resurgence of the folk-music flag, it would seem almost impossible for a group from a small indie label in the Utah Valley to raise eyebrows in a densely populated genre market. But, Desert Noises has done just that. At a time when it’s getting harder and harder to posit an original identity, musical or otherwise, this foursome has made its mark with a straightforward songwriting approach, layers of reverb, and magnetizing live shows. The scope of their sound is impressive. There are moments of reserved roots-rock balladry, hints of playful jangle-pop, and experiments into the opulent world of modern psychedelia. Get turned on. Desert Noises performs tonight, 8:30 p.m. at the Bug Jar, 219 Monroe Ave. $7-$9. 454-2966, bugjar.com.