Born in Baar, Switzerland, Manu Koch started playing piano at the age of five and studied classical music for thirteen years. During his early teenage years he got introduced to the fusion era of Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Weather Report and started experimenting with synthesizers and sequencers. He later took tenor saxophone lessons for two years and enrolled at the Jazz School in Luzern, Switzerland for one semester.

In 1993 Manu Koch 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. The international surrounding and various world music classes introduced him to many new sounds like Indian, West African and especially Brazilian music. 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, Teresa Inês Group and Sergio Brandão & Manga Rosa, the Craibbean jazz band Sun Steel led by steel drum player Ron Reid and the legendary jazz club Wally's house band where he played with Adam Deitch, Charles Haynes, Chris Loftin, Donald Harrison, Eric Krasno, Mark Kelly, Mark Simmons, Reuben Rogers, Sam Kininger and many more. In Boston Manu Koch also started the still ongoing collaboration with Malian griot, singer and kora master Balla Tounkara.

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 the bands of bassist Alberto Continentino, singer Teresa Inês and guitarist Jorge Shy.

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, Iridium, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Zinc Bar, Cafe Wha, B.B. Kings, S.O.B.'s, Knitting Factory, Nublu...) 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, Bobby Allende, Brazooka, Chiara Civello, Chris Berry & Panjea, Chris Cheek, Cindy Blackman, David Binney, Don Braden, Donny McCaslin, Duduka da Fonseca, Elin, Fantcha, Gene Jackson, Hendrik Meurkens, Ismael Lumanovski, Jiro Yoshida, John Benitez, Joris Teepe, Kaïssa, Kofo The Wonderman & The Daylight Stars, Lefteris Bournias, Leo Traversa, Lionel Loueke, Magos Herrera, Malika Zarra, Marlon Saunders, Martino Atangana & African Blue Note, Mattan Klein Quintet, Maucha Adnet, Miguel Zenon, Portinho, Quizamba, Ric Fierabracci, Roy Hargrove, Ruben Rodriguez, Seamus Blake, Sergio Brandão, Two Loons For Tea, Vanderlei Pereira, Vic Juris, Vinny Valentino,Vusi Mahlasela, Zola and many more.