Jazz solely came from Africa, its nergo. How did it ever become European ? And I would never equate it to classical.
I do like some classical music, not all.
a major difference is that classical music is played from a paper, what we call a score.
Jazz is played by ear, and memory.
Improvisation in jazz is essential , in classical music it disappeared after the French Revolution,
because the new middle and upper class , wanted to play music themselves.
They were to stupid to improvise, so all notes, dynamics, tempo,... had to be written down.
Before that Baroque music was performed in a improvisatory way, quite similar to Jazz or pop.
note: without the influence of european music , jazz would still be reggae, or even a form of sub-reggae.