The Philly United Jazz Fest and OutBeat Jazz Festival sound a social message....

Patricia Barber at Outbeat Jazz Festival/Union Transfer September 21. (JIMMY KATZ / FOR THE DAILY NEWS)

MUSIC DOESN'T just soothe the savage breast, it makes us civil and open to one another. And that goes double for jazz. Often cited as the original all-American music form and first to be integrated on bandstands and in audiences, jazz is being celebrated with two socially conscious and embracing music festivals in Philly this weekend.

Headlined by the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra (still helmed by 89-year-old Marshall Allen), the Philadelphia United Jazz Festival will be free for all to meet and share tomorrow afternoon and early evening on musically historic South Street between Broad and 16th Street.

The somewhat competing (or maybe not) OutBeat Jazz Festival will spotlight talents like the well-seasoned, though shockingly under-recognized baritone vocal master Andy Bey, nu-tradition keyboard stylist Fred Hersch, playfully sophisticated band leader/drummer Teri Lynn Carrington and the urbane jazz-pop singer/songwriter/keyboardist Patricia Barber, performing at such locations as the Philadelphia Museum of Art tonight (Hersch), Chris' Jazz Cafe tomorrow (Carrington) and with a really big show at Union Transfer (Bey, Barber, Carrington, more) on Sunday. (See sidebar for details.)

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