About The Song
Considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis is a modal jazz album that was recorded on March 2, 1959, at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio in New York City. The album features Davis on trumpet, John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums.
Freddie Freeloader
The second track on Kind of Blue, “Freddie Freeloader” is a blues-based composition in F major. The piece is named after a character who would often try to see Davis and other musicians perform without paying. Davis’s solo on “Freddie Freeloader” is one of his most famous, and it has been praised for its melodicism and emotional intensity.
Analysis
“Freddie Freeloader” is a modal jazz composition, which means that it is based on a single mode, or scale, rather than a traditional chord progression. The mode used in “Freddie Freeloader” is the F Mixolydian mode, which is a scale that shares the same notes as the F major scale, but with a lowered seventh note. This gives the piece a bluesy sound.
The melody of “Freddie Freeloader” is based on a simple 12-bar blues progression. However, Davis and the other musicians improvise extensively over the course of the piece, creating a unique and unpredictable sound.
“Freddie Freeloader” is a classic example of modal jazz, and it is considered one of the most important compositions in the history of the genre. The piece is a testament to the genius of Miles Davis and his band, and it continues to be enjoyed by jazz fans around the world.
Other facts
- The title of the song is a reference to a character who would often try to see Davis and other musicians perform without paying.
- Davis’s solo on “Freddie Freeloader” is one of his most famous, and it has been praised for its melodicism and emotional intensity.
- “Freddie Freeloader” is a classic example of modal jazz, and it is considered one of the most important compositions in the history of the genre.