Lee Evans, professor emeritus of music and former chairperson of the Theatre & Fine Arts Department of Pace University in New York City, graduated from New York City's High School of Music & Art and completed degrees at New York University and Columbia University, receiving his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education from the latter. In addition to college level teaching, he also taught briefly at the junior and high school levels. Professionally, he concertized for ten consecutive seasons under the auspices of Columbia Artists Management, and performed on some of the world's most prestigious stages, including the White House. He had served as music coordinator/director for Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Carol Channing, Cat Stevens, and Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. He was an acclaimed educator, performer, lecturer, composer, and arranger, and was author of over 90 published music books. Dr. Evans endeavored to show it is possible for classical piano teachers with no prior jazz experience to teach jazz concepts with the same skill and discipline as classical music. Dr. Evans had notable success bringing an understanding of and feeling for jazz to keyboard students and teachers.