Charles Ables

b. 23 July 1943, Mississippi, USA, d. 8 October 2001, Washington, DC, USA. Starting out on guitar, on which instrument he worked with Ray Charles among other leaders, Ables later switched to electric bass. This came at the behest of Shirley Horn who needed a bass player at the time she was approached by the young guitarist. Following the instrumental change, Ables became very well known inside the music business. He stayed with Horn for many years, making records, sometimes also playing guitar, and touring internationally Although his first loyalty was always to Horn, he did play and make records with others, including Carmen McRae (Sarah: Dedicated To You), Toots Thielemans (For My Lady), and Joe Williams (In Good Company). Although he claimed the limelight only rarely, Ables’ solid time and instrumental flair were a feature of many of Horn’s albums, among them I Thought About You, You Won't Forget Me, and Light Out Of Darkness (A Tribute To Ray Charles). He also appeared on 1998’s Grammy-nominated I Remember Miles.