Freddie Freeloader (song)

"Freddie Freeloader" is a composition by Miles Davis and is the second track on his album Kind of Blue. The piece takes the form of a twelve-bar blues in B-flat, but the chord over the final two bars of each chorus is an A-flat7, not the traditional B-flat7 followed by either F7 for a turnaround or some variation of B-flat7 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 Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, and Wynton Kelly.

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 album Magic Touch.

A vocalese version is featured on "Freddie Freeloader: Jon Hendricks and Friends" (1990) featuring Bobby McFerrin (Wynton Kelly), Al Jarreau (Miles Davis), George Benson (Cannonball Adderley) and Jon Hendricks (John Coltrane).