Beiderbecke Tapes, The (ITV 1987, James Bolam, Barbara Flynn)

Comedy drama The Beiderbecke Tapes was part two of the Beiderbecke trilogy. Jill and Trevor are now living together in this second serial (following the six part Beiderbecke Affair of two years previously) having been on the cusp of it first time out and all is calm and lovely until jazz fanatic Trevor gets given a Bix Beiderbecke cassette that actually doesn’t contain music but is a recording of a top secret conversation about the dumping of nuclear waste.

This is of course the catalyst for Jill and Trevor to put their investigating caps on, soon though they are being targetted by six men in suits and a “tough guy” who makes it plain bones will be broken if they keep up with their investigations.

Written by the superb Alan Plater the Beiderbecke Tapes is high quality viewing, a tongue in cheek world of government cover ups and conspiracies with sparklingly witty dialogue and a very groozy jazz soundtrack of legendary Beiderbecke songs performed with great panache by the Frank Ricotti band.

production details
UK / ITV Network-Yorkshire / 2x90m-e / Broadcast 13-20 December 1987

Writer: Alan Plater / Music: Frank Ricotti / Producer: Michael Glynn

cast
JAMES BOLAM as Trevor Chaplin
BARBARA FLYNN as Jill Swinburne
DUDLEY SUTTON as Mr Carter
KEITH SMITH as Mr Wheeler
BERYL REID as Sylvia
MALCOLM STORRY as Peterson
DAVID BATTLEY as John