Thinking about what's truly significant about going to gigs is worth reflecting on approaching the latest shut-down of London's jazz clubs coming into force crushingly again in a few hours' time is worth making note of given how often we simply do not take the time to acknowledge how important it is to go out to hear live jazz. Because jazz is improvisation drawing on the personal, seeing the eyes of people in front of the players whether on stage or anywhere in the club plays a strong part in the spell.

Audiences inspire players. Players inspire audiences. Places inspire players, audiences. Jazz is a social music. ''Social'' does not rely on technology. The sound of the room inspires players. The sound of the room with people in it inspires players more. Empty spaces are more like studios, more monastic. They might suit some but not all. Live performance gives players ideas. It gives audiences ideas. Fixing your glance on a set of players in a not very wide space is a concentrated act far more than watching a stream even on your phone a few inches away.

The jazz club experience is a communal experience. Watching a stream even with a few mates chatting via a widget is not anything like the same thing. It can't be called communal in the same way. The idea of a ''moment'' is very difficult to achieve online. Many of the factors that occur live (the dropping of a knife and fork, the clink of a glass, the slam of a door, the sound of the applause) are completely impossible or come over as plastic online. Let's just keep biding our time for now and here's hoping the clubs can open again soon for the next vital social call. Our imaginations need it.

Interior of Brilliant Corners, Dalston, London, top. Photo: marlbank