Guitarist Bill Frisell (center) will lead his Big Sur Quintet tomorrow evening at the Barns of Wolf Trap. Photo by Monica Frisell.

One goal of all jazz musicians is to create a sound that is totally unique to that artist, a voice that can be instantly linked to the person producing it. Few guitarists have achieved the level of individuality that Bill Frisell has over the course of his 40-year career. Unlike most guitarists, he has never earned the reputation as a gunslinger, someone whose fingers fly up and down the frets. Frisell’s approach is built on a highly expressive tone, as well as a diverse range of influences that draw equally from jazz traditions and American roots music.

“My hope is that the music is open enough or there’s enough in it that whoever listens to it can make up their own story to what’s going on,” Frisell recently told DCist. “Even with the titles, whenever I put titles on stuff, I’m kind of nervous about it because even one word can push you in a direction. I really believe that everyone is going to hear it differently.”

Frisell will be playing the Barns at Wolf Trap tomorrow night with the latest of his many ensembles. The Big Sur Quintet is named after the album Frisell released earlier this year. Composed on a commission from the Monterey Jazz Festival, Big Sur came out of a week Frisell spent in solitude on the grounds of the majestic California park. He stayed at the Glen Deven Ranch, an 860-acre property bequeathed to the Big Sur Land Trust, which now houses an artist’s retreat.

“In the last few years, I’m realizing how important it is for me to shut down the machinery of the world around me. E-mail, computer, you’re just being attacked all the time,” Frisell said. “It seems that’s the only way for me to write music.”

In addition to spending time on the ranch, Frisell drew inspiration from the nature and scenery around him, along with writers like Kerouac, who had also used the park to spark ideas. Though the 62-year-old, multiple Grammy winner was also quick to note that the album does not necessarily represent a musical description of Big Sur. The park simply gave Frisell the internal space to nurture his creativity. He recalled one story that was representative of his mindset during this time.

“One day I was looking at a donkey. I said something to the donkey and I realized it was the first word I said in five days,” Frisell said.

Frisell’s surrounded himself with world class musicians to record the album, and the same group will appear at tomorrow night’s gig. The ensemble features violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, cellist Hank Roberts and drummer Rudy Royston. As a bandleader, Frisell doesn’t operate using a top-down approach. The songs one the recording are merely seeds that germinate during live performance. He affords his talented group the opportunity to bring their own formidable skills to the music.

“The last thing I want is to actually impose my own ideas. I don’t want to dictate what they feel or think about it,” Frisell said of his bandmates. “Anytime you try to put into words what’s happening with the music, it seems to kind of block it.”

Bill Frisell’s Big Sur Quintet performs at the Barns of Wolf Trap on Friday, December 6, 2013. 8 p.m. Tickets $35.