Freddie Freeloader

"Freddie Freeloader" is a composition by Miles Davis and is the second track on his 1959 album Kind of Blue. The piece takes the form of a twelve-bar blues in B♭, but the chord over the final two bars of each chorus is an A♭7, not the traditional B♭7 followed by either F7 for a turnaround or some variation of B♭t7 for an ending.

Davis employed Wynton Kelly as the pianist for this track in place of Bill Evans, as Kelly was something of a blues specialist. The solos are by Kelly, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Paul Chambers.

According to the documentary Kind of Blue: Made in Heaven, and an anecdote from the jazz pianist Monty Alexander, the song was named after an individual named Freddie who would frequently try to see the music Davis and others performed without paying (thus freeloading). The name may have also been inspired by Red Skelton’s most famous character, "Freddie the Freeloader" the hobo clown.

This song was featured numerous times on The Weather Channel's Local on the 8s segments since March 2000.

"Freddie Freeloader" has proven to be one of Davis' most enduring compositions. Stanley Jordan recorded it for his 1985 album Magic Touch. A vocalese version is featured on the 1990 album Freddie Freeloader: Jon Hendricks and Friends, featuring Bobby McFerrin (Wynton Kelly), Al Jarreau (Miles Davis), George Benson (Cannonball Adderley) and Jon Hendricks (John Coltrane).Dexter Gordon recorded the tune, in Copenhagen for the SteepleChase Records label, on the 1975 quartet album "Something Different" (with Philipe Catherine, guitar; NHOP, bass; and Dexter's favourite drummer, Billy Higgins). The CD version has a 2nd take of the tune.