Indiana Jazz Exchange 2025

Indiana Jazz Exchange 2025: Indiana Jazz Today

with

Cathy Morris – violin

Monika Herzig – piano

Peter Kienle – guitar

André Nendza – bass

Drori Mondlak – drums

In 2025, the thirteenth edition of the Indiana Jazz Exchange will take place in Cologne, featuring a transatlantic celebration of Indiana’s vibrant jazz legacy. This year’s special guest is jazz violinist, arts leader, and recording artist Cathy Morris, a member of the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation Hall of Fame and one of the city’s most dynamic musical ambassadors. Known for her charismatic stage presence and stylistic versatility, Morris has performed for President Bill Clinton and other world leaders. Her work as a composer, educator, and producer—particularly through her nonprofit Arts With A Purpose—has made her a cornerstone of Indiana’s music community. She will be joined by German-American pianist Monika Herzig and guitarist Peter Kienle, both based in Indiana, along with Cologne-based musicians André Nendza on bass and Drori Mondlak on drums. The program will feature curated selections from the contemporary Indianapolis jazz scene, inspired by two photographic anthologies by Indianapolis musician and historian Larry Goshen, chronicling the lives and legacies of Indiana’s musical pioneers.

Cathy Morris is an electric violinist, vocalist, composer, and educator who has been a dynamic force in the Midwest arts scene for over two decades. Known for her high-energy performances, she has appeared on festival stages, televised events, and major ceremonies, sharing the bill with artists such as Al Jarreau, Burt Bacharach, George Benson, and Fourplay. As a soloist, she performs original works with orchestras and jazz ensembles, and her discography includes five albums of original music, Cathy Morris Latin Jazz, A Cathy Morris Christmas, and Sacred Romance. Her compositions are published by FJH Music and span over 100 works for string ensembles and solo performances. A passionate educator, Cathy regularly collaborates with students in workshops and concerts, and she is also the founder of Arts With A Purpose, a project dedicated to connecting communities through the power of music and positive social impact.

Monika Herzig has led internationally touring ensembles, most notably the instrumental group Sheroes, which has featured colleagues such as Leni Stern, Jamie Baum, Reut Regev, Rosa Avila, Gina Schwarz, Camille Thurman, Lakecia Benjamin, Ingrid Jensen, and other guest artists. Their more than 20 recordings have received 4-star reviews in DownBeat Magazine and achieved high rankings on the U.S. JazzWeek charts. She is also a Senior Lecturer in Arts Management at Indiana University and the author of David Baker: A Legacy in Music and Experiencing Chick Corea: A Listener’s Companion, which was nominated as one of the best jazz books of 2018. Additionally, she served as the editor of Jazz Education in Research and Practice.

Peter Kienle grew up in Germany and attended the Jazz School in Munich. Before emigrating to the USA in 1988, he taught at several music schools. In the USA, he established himself as a versatile guitarist and bassist in the studio and various formations. Together with his wife Monika Herzig, he led the popular fusion group BeebleBrox. More than 1200 original compositions for classical guitar and his various groups Kwzjibo, Splinter Group, Nutpicker, and The Time Flies are published in the Level3Publishing catalog.

André Nendza is one of the most distinguished musicians on the German music scene owed to his continuous work both with a number of his own projects and as a sought-after sideman. In 2009, the duo Angelika Niescier and André Nendza qualified for the final of the “New German Jazz Award”. In 2012, Nendza received the ECHOJAZZ in the category “Bass, national” for his album “Rooms restored” and in 2014, he won the final of the “New German Jazz Award” with “Tria Lingvo”. Nendza’s bass playing has been documented on over 80 recordings (14 of them under his own name) as well as in various radio and TV recordings. He has his own label “Jazzsick records” with Philipp van Endert.

Drori Mondlak is one of the outstanding jazz drummers and bandleaders. His eclectic work spanning more than twenty years in New York has brought him together with jazz legends such as Frank Foster, Joe Williams, Chris Potter, and Ernestine Anderson. Mondlak has also made a significant mark on the European jazz scene, performing with artists like Lee Konitz, Sonny Fortune, Barbara Dennerlein, David Friedman, Lynne Arriale, and Nicolas Simion.

Tickets are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of tickets that you will definitely use. Please note that the Altes Pfandhaus has both seating and standing capacity and that we can guarantee seats only for our members and for guests with disabilities.

Admittance will start at 6:30 p.m. You do not need to print out your Eventbrite ticket. The name under which you reserved your tickets will suffice to enter.

We cordially thank the Freundeskreis Köln-Indianapolis e.V. for their cooperation and the City of Cologne as well as the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia for generously supporting this event.