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SENIOR BY A year to the more ballyhooed San Francisco Jazz Festival, the annual Asian American Jazz Festival has broadened its horizons both geographically and culturally in its 21st year. Part of a five-city celebration (with festivals also in San Jose, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago), the San Francisco edition, under the general theme "The Spirit of Improvisation," presents cross-cultural concerts focusing on the legacy of Filipino American jazz, with the Robbie Kwock/Melecio Magdaluyo Sextet, Jimmy Biala and Search Five, and poet Al Robles (Fri/4); "The San Francisco-Chicago Connection," with Art Ensemble of Chicago bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut in duet with bassist Tatsu Aoki, plus Jeff Chan's Turn of the Century with Jon Jang (Sat/5); and "Jazz and Justice: A Tribute to Glenn Horiuchi," with trumpeter Bobby Bradford, tuba player William Roper, saxophonist Francis Wong, plus Avotcja and Modupue featuring Miya Masaoka (Sun/6). On Saturday and Sunday educational forums will further explore the history of the Filipino American jazz scene and improvisation. Transcending identity politics while maintaining artistic integrity, a coherent vision, and grassroots neighborhood connections, the AAJF is one of the city's major, if somewhat underappreciated, annual musical and cultural events. Fri/4-Sat/5, 8 p.m. (Sat/5-Sun/6, 2 p.m., "Creative Dialogue" educational forums), Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, 1840 Sutter, S.F.; Sun/6, 8 p.m., Locus 1640 Post, 1640 Post, S.F. Concerts $15, forums free. 1-877-243-3774. (Derk Richardson)