Hammer Theatre Center ends its Black Cab Jazz series on a high note with pianist Orrin Evans. During his quarter-century career, Evans became the model of a fiercely independent artist who pushed the envelope in all directions. Never supported by a major record label, Evans made a name for himself earning the #1 ranking as “Rising Star Pianist” in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll. Grammy nominations for the Smoke Sessions albums The Intangible Between and Presence, by Evans’s Capital Black Big Band, solidifies his legacy as a bandleader and composer. His collaborative projects include the Eubanks Evans Experience, a duo with eminent guitarist Kevin Eubanks; the Brazilian unit Terreno Comum; Evans’ working trio with bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr.; and Tar Baby, a collective trio of 20 years standing with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits.