The common root, of course, comes out of Africa. That's the pulse.The African pulse. It's all the way back from . . . the old slave chants and up through the blues, the jazz, and up through rock. And it's all got the African pulse.
Source: In Jazz Anecdotes, by Bill Crow, 1990.
-- Duke Ellington, (Apr 29 1899-1974), US bandleader, songwriter; He was an outstanding jazz personality who wrote over 5000 original works, e.g., Take the 'A' Train.