His mother was a classically trained singer who introduced her son to a wide range of music, from Puccini to Ellington. Charles Pettaway at Philadelphia's Settlement School of Music gave Evans his formal training. During his high school and early adult years, Evans won a number of musical awards and scholarships. In 1999,he won the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition.

Evans played in Bobby Watson's band for six years, later moving to the Charles Mingus Big Band. He has his own group, as well, and has toured with Wallace Roney, Stefon Harris, and Antonio Hart. He has made a number of recordings, the last few having been released on his own label, IMANI Records.

Orrin Evans teaches master classes and at musical clinics around the country. He also teaches privately, and is a member of the non-profit Pennsylvania Performing Artists on Tour. The New York Times has called Evans "an outspoken, musically and philosophically iconoclastic pianist."

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Set List for Orrin Evans on Piano Jazz:

JD's Revenge (E. Revis)

Libra (O. Evans)

I Wanna Be Happy (I. Caesar, V. Youmans)

Killing Me Softly (F. Charles, N. Gimbel)

I Love You (C. Porter)

Muldoon (Revis)

Free Piece (McPartland, Evans)

Autumn Leaves (Kozma, Mercer, Prevert)