Rock and world music nights at the L.A. Zoo

If you close your eyes and hear music during two July evenings at the Los Angeles Zoo, you might think you're in Africa or possibly Ireland, or even the Middle East. And - how can this be -- are the Beatles and the Eagles performing right around the bend? Well, your imagination might inspire all these thoughts at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) rare opportunity to visit after hours on two evenings of "Music in the Zoo" under the stars, including WORLD MUSIC NIGHT on Tuesday, July 14, and CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT on Tuesday, July 24, 2009.

World Music Night includes aninternational array of musicians, and Classic Rock Night features cover bands of music by the Beatles, Eagles, Grateful Dead, Doors and Dylan (among others) who perform throughout the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens while guests view more than a few animals staying up past their bedtimes.

Picnics are permitted, and an eclectic array of food and beverages offerings are available.

Both evenings are 6 to 9 p.m., with animals seen until 8 p.m.

Media sponsor is KCET.

World Music Night on Tuesday, July 14 features Suzanne Teng & Mystic Journey (world music), David Vito Gregoli & Primordial Sonics (aboriginal fusion), Masanga Marimba (Zimbabwean), Paddy's Pig (Irish), Stefani Valadez Ensemble (Middle Eastern & Sephardic), Espino (Latin) and Island Inspirations (Polynesian).

Classic Rock Night on Friday, July 24 spotlights Hotel California (Eagles music), The Rubber Souls (Beatles music), Highway 61 Revisited (Bob Dylan music), Cubensis (Grateful Dead music), The Heist (The Who, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin music) and Up Stream (popular Reggae music).

Both evenings also offer ten interactive animal education and conservation stations located throughout the Zoo, each staffed by Zoo Docents and mom-and-daughter volunteers from the Glendale Chapter of the National Charity League, Inc. The National Charity League, Inc., Glendale Chapter, is a mother-daughter philanthropic organization. Its incoming 10th Grade class is implementing a chapterwide service project, "Where the Wild ThingZ Are," designed to benefit the Los Angeles Zoo. It includes interacting with the public at "Music in the Zoo's" education stations to teach guests about animal behavior, habitats, conservation, and environmental issues.

World Music Night focuses on international animals, and Classic Rock Night features animals native to California.

Food offerings on WORLD MUSIC NIGHT are a Sate Station (chicken, beef, mojito shrimp, or pineapple) with Imported Beers; a Skewered Fruit and Cheese Station with Wine Bar; a Mashed Potato Bar with Martinis; and entrees including a Hawaiian Luau Menu (Kaluha Pork, Pineapple Chicken, Sticky Rice and Sweet potatoes, Macaroni Salad, Lomi Lomi Salmon), Wild Salmon and Soba Noodle Salad, Gingered Beef Salad and Israeli Couscous and Mediterranean Vegetable Salad.

CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT offers equally mouth-watering selections, including a Skewered Fruit and Cheese Station with Wine Bar, a Mashed Potato Bar with Martinis, and a Sliders (beef or chicken) station, plus entrees including Wild Salmon and Soba Noodle Salad, Gingered Beef Salad and Israeli Couscous and Mediterranean Vegetable Salad, and an All American BBQ (BBQ Tri Tip Sandwich, Pulled Pork Sandwich or ¼ BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad).

"Music in the Zoo" is one of many programs presented by the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, founded in 1963. The year 2009 marks more than 45 years of GLAZA's success in supporting the Los Angeles Zoo's work as an educational resource for the citizens of Los Angeles, and as an international center for the conservation of endangered wildlife. GLAZA provides support for Los Angeles Zoo exhibits, conservation, capital projects, education programs, community outreach, research, and more through fund-raising and an endowment, membership, special events and more.

GLAZA currently has 65,000 member households, the second largest non-profit organization membership in Los Angeles. Many of its nearly 300,000 individual members have sustained their GLAZA support for more than 20 years.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is an international leader in the conservation of endangered species and one of the city's major cultural and entertainment resources..

Admission to "Music in the Zoo" for GLAZA members is $12:50 for adults and $7.50 for children ages 6 to 15. Admission for non-members is $16.50 for adults and $10.50 for children ages 6 to 15. Children 5 and under are free.

A discounted ticket price for KCET members is available at www.LAZoo.org.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. Tickets for "Music in the Zoo"may be purchased at the Zoo or in advance by phone at (323) 644-6042 or online at www.LAZoo.org.