AS I crossed the border into Canada earlier this week, the US immigration official eyed my guitar case and asked me “Are you a musician?”

I nervously admitted it, whereupon he asked me where I was from. “North-East England,” I replied.

“Gosh,” he said, in all seriousness, “I didn’t know England was big enough to have a North AND an East. Have a nice day.”

I resisted the temptation to tell him what a fine and noble part of the world this region of ours actually is.

Or that, if he happened to be paying it a visit in the week ahead, he could hear music tonight from Lancashire entertainer Geoff Higginbottom at Darlington Arts Centre, and from popular combo Barron Brady at Bellingham All Acoustic Club in Northumberland.

On Saturday, rising stars of the folk scene Tom Kitchin and Gren Bartley are at Washington’s Davy Lamp, and the ubiquitous Mr Higginbottom is at Guisborough Rugby Club on Sunday.

On Monday, local lad Bob Fortune is at Stockton’s Sun Inn, while up the road at Gateshead’s Sage, Ireland’s leading ambassador of song Christy Moore, above, is in concert, accompanied by ace guitarist Declan Sinnott.

The Sage also presents groundbreaking instrumental band Salsa Celtica, with guest vocalist Julie Fowlis, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, tickets are now on sale for Vin Garbutt’s film Teesside Troubadour, which runs from November 11 to 18 at Middlesbrough Cineworld Multiplex. Full details are at pancracktv.com Meanwhile, despite the border guard having spelt the word “musician” wrong, I’m continuing my tour across Ontario and into Quebec over the next seven days, but can be contacted at jez@jezlowe.com for all your folk action and activities to be shared with the rest of the world.