It's all about Fats Domino for me..

You keep watching him play the piano and realizing that folks like Fats Domino had no official training on that instrument, it was mostly by ear..
And you wonder what would have happened if he was trained in the classical sense..
These guys basically played those chords in New ways and in distinct styles, whether you call it Blues or Jazz or whatever..
And the style was distinctly New Orleans inspired..
Maybe its just an offshoot from the Creole culture etc.

Just observing..
Played 'Walking to New Orleans' a couple times, watching Fats play and wondering stuff.