Now you can't leave out New York or Chicago. It's hard to pinpoint a central universe. New Orleans is right up in there, though. My offer so much diversity that comes from the mother land. New Orleans was the sprouting point.
European music has a different route.
But when you are talking about African-based music, musically, somehow it all started here because there was so much diversity. You can't keep a melting pot in one spot. It was boiling and boiled out to the rest of the country. It still plays that role today. Usually I hear the chord changes and then the meoldy comes.