Larry Monroe, a fixture at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, will retire after 50 years at the school. Described as a “student, teacher, methodologist, dean, vice president and global ambassador” in a Berklee press release, Monroe, who is also an alto saxophonist, will be celebrated in a retirement concert, titled “Larry Monroe’s Recuerdo,” at the college on Oct. 18. The performance will feature Monroe’s former student, New Orleans-based saxophonist Donald Harrison, Italian bassist Giovanni Tommaso-who helped Monroe create Berklee’s 27-year partnership with the Umbria Jazz Festival-as well as Berklee students and faculty members.
The concert takes place 8:15 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Tickets are $8, $16 in advance; $12, $22 day of show; reserved seating. Tickets are available at berkleebpc.com, by calling 617 -747-2261, or by visiting the BPC Box Office.
Monroe most recently served as vice president for Academic Affairs/Berklee Valencia. He has performed with Lou Rawls, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Gary Burton, and the Boston Pops Orchestra. As an educator, according to the press release, “he influenced Branford Marsalis, Miguel Zenon, Donald Harrison, Anat Cohen, Daniela Schachter, Donny McCaslin, and countless others.”
