Originally from Switzerland, Manu Koch started playing piano at the age of five and studied classical music for thirteen years. After taking tenor saxophone lessons for two years and visiting one semester at Jazz School in Luzern, Switzerland he moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music where he studied jazz piano with JoAnne Brackeen, Laszlo Gardony and Ray Santisi and percussion with Jamey Haddad and Ernesto Diaz.During his college years he started working as a freelance musician in the Boston area where he performed with jazz artists such as drummer Bob Moses and Oscar Stagnaro, Brazilian groups Zabumbatuq, vocalist Teresa Ines and Sergio Brandão & Manga Rosa, the Caribbean jazz band Sun Steel led by steel drum player Ron Reid and the legendary jazz club Wally's house band and many more.His interest in West African and Brazilian music deepened after touring the Cape Verdean islands with the Mendes Brothers in September 1999 and later that year in Brazil where he performed with various groups during a three months visit.Manu Koch moved to New York in May 2000 where he is still based today. Since then he has been performing in many well known venues in New York and the US ( The Fillmore, Blue Note Jazz Club, The Blues Alley, Zinc Bar, 55 Bar, Cafe Wha, B.B. Kings, Joe's Pub, S.O.B.'s, Knitting Factory, Nublu, Living Room...) and around the world (Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Switzerland) with artists and projects such as Angelique Kidjo, Aquiles Baez, Armando Gola, Balla Tounkara, Barbara Mendes, Benny Rietveld, Bernard Grobman, Bobby Allende, Brazooka, Carl Carter, Chiara Civello, Chris Berry & Panjea, Chris Cheek, Cindy Blackman, David Binney, Don Braden, Donny McCaslin, Duduka da Fonseca, Elin, Fantcha, Fred Alias, Gene Jackson, George Mel Group, Hendrik Meurkens, Ismail Lumanovski, Jiro Yoshida, John Benitez, Joris Teepe, Jose Conde & Ola Fresca, Kaïssa, Lefteris Bournias, Leo Traversa, Lionel Loueke, Magos Herrera, Malika Zarra, Marlon Saunders, Martino Atangana & African Blue Note, Mattan Klein Quintet, Maucha Adnet, Miguel Zenon, Quizamba, Ric Fierabracci, Roy Hargrove, Ruben Rodriguez, Seamus Blake, Sergio Brandão, Vanderlei Pereira, Vic Juris, Vinny Valentino, Vusi Mahlasela, Zemog El Gallo Bueno, Zola and many more.
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