“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.”

L P Hartley’s quotation came to mind on picking up a copy of a magazine called Jazz Guide, mainly listing music in the revivalist trad jazz style. Many revivalists go as far as the old New Orleans “brolly parade,” shaking decorated umbrellas in time to the music.

These revisionist practitioners are followers of Ken Colyer’s doctrine, that George Lewis and Bunk Johnson carried the true message of jazz. In reality, Lewis and Johnson remained in New Orleans when other musicians moved from the Crescent City to Memphis, Chicago, New York and San Franscisco, simply because their skills were too limited.

When Colyer visited New Orleans in the 1950s and met elderly musicians, he assumed he was hearing the authentic stuff and returned to Britain to imitate what he had heard. While he embraced the basics with a simple approach and wavery vibrato, Humph, Chris Barber, Alex Welsh and others moved on. It is ironic that in spite of his conservatism, Colyer has been awarded part responsibility for the explosion of rock’n’ roll in Britain.

Following the New Orleans model, Colyer introduced a “breakdown set” into his programme, guitar, washboard, bass and kazoo, plus bluesey vocals borrowed from Brownie McGhee and Leadbelly.

The Chris Barber Band’s version had Lonnie Donegan playing banjo and vocals and their 1954 recording of Rock Island Line saw the word skiffle enter popular culture. Skiffle became a teenage craze across and in Liverpool the Quarrymen morphed into the Beatles.

There is still a strong following for traditional jazz, at the Leeds Jazz Club every Tuesday (leedsjazzclub.com) and at Boston Spa every Saturday night. This weekend’s guests at Jazz in the Spa will be Kevin Grenfell`s Jazz Giants, with John Hallam and Paul Harrison on reeds (01937 844898). Next Tuesday’s band at Leeds Jazz Club will be the Chicago Teddybears Society Jazz Band. Needless to say, they are neither from Chicago, nor teddy bears and not in society, but they are very entertaining.

Jazz in York tonight is with the Mardi Gras Band at Middleton’s Hotel, Skeldergate, at 8.30pm. The name is borrowed from a New Orleans festival, but the music ranges from the 1920s to the 1990s. Middleton’s resumes Friday night jazz tomorrow with Karl Mullen and Jen Low, while Saturday at 8pm sees Toby Burras.

Sunday jazz in York begins at 1pm with John Marley (bass) and Paul Smith (drums), plus guests. The venue is Kennedy’s Café Bar, Little Stonegate (01904 620222). Also on Sunday, Chris Moore’s Central Scrutinizers will be at the Phoenix Inn, George Street, at 8.30pm (01904 656401). The Phoenix jam session on Wednesday night at 8pm is fronted by Chris Moore and James Lancaster.

One of York’s newest and most enjoyable bands, Bob Smeaton’s organ-based quintet One Foot In The Groove, will be at the Victoria Vaults, Nunnery Lane, on Tuesday at 8pm (01904 654307).

Scarborough Jazz runs every Wednesday night at the Cask Inn, Cambridge Terrace, and next week’s guest will be tenor saxophonist, composer and jazz educator, Joel Purnell.