Expect a love-in when Seattle guitarist Bill Frisell joins local multi-instrumentalist Brad Turner on-stage next week—even if the two don’t revisit the ’60s material featured on recent Frisell albums like Guitar in the Space Age! and his John Lennon tribute, All We Are Saying. As triple-threat trumpeter, pianist, and drummer Turner explains in a telephone interview, the two have made up their own mutual-admiration society ever since meeting at the Banff Centre a decade ago.

“I’ve seen him in airports here and there, and we were always just chatting, like ‘Wow. We should really try to get together and do something,’ ” Turner says. But there’s more going on here than a one-night-only concert: Frisell is also heading up I-5 to spend a week as the Capilano University jazz program’s first artist in residence. Turner contends that the guitarist is the ideal candidate for the gig, being one of the deepest, busiest, and most generous players in jazz.

“First of all, he’s got one of the most personal guitar sounds that I’ve ever heard,” the Capilano instructor says. “You can pretty much pinpoint his signature sound within three or four notes, and it’s been that way ever since he started playing. And, having been on-stage with him, he’s got a presence that most instrumentalists don’t have. I was lucky enough to stand on-stage with [the late trumpeter and composer] Kenny Wheeler, and it was a really similar experience; I just thought, ‘Holy crow! I’ve heard this fellow play so many times on recordings, but hearing it in person is just so personal and unique and big.’ With people like that, the whole stage is enveloped in their sound, and Bill’s one of those guys.”

Frisell’s job description for the Capilano residency is diverse, but Turner suggests that the famously shy musician will probably lead by example, rather than by lecturing.

“He’s going to be interacting with the students, which has never really happened before with someone of his stature. We’ve had workshops before, but this is a residency. [Guitarist] Jared Burrows does a class where they perform music to silent movies, so he’s going to be involved with that, and he’s going to hear some of my small-group classes—sitting in with people and maybe giving the odd comment. 

“For me, I actually prefer it when guest artists come in and perform,” Turner adds, “so that younger players can get that visceral sense of what it means to really do something on your instrument. There’s a lot of talking going on these days, and I don’t mind that: there are things that are important to talk about. But in our form, I would say that it’s more important for a student to actually experience the performance aspect of it. When you can see the artist in person right in front of you, actually doing it, nothing can touch that.”

Turner and Frisell are still finalizing the details of their own performance, although the former notes that the guitarist’s Seattle rhythm section of bassist Luke Bergman and drummer Ted Poor will also be making the trek north. It’s likely that the focus will be on the jazzier side of Frisell’s repertoire—at least a couple of Thelonious Monk tunes will make the set list, and for those familiar with the guitarist’s work, that’s very good news.

Bill Frisell and Brad Turner play the BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts at Capilano University on Wednesday (November 26).