Rudy Gobert’s biggest fans wanted a second chance to see their star under the lights. So naturally, they called for an encore.
On Friday, Jazz management unveiled its “Gobert/Encore” jazz album — yes, like the music, not the basketball team — the centerpiece of their efforts campaigning for Gobert to win Defensive Player of the Year for a second consecutive season. The album is a nearly note-for-note reproduction of John Coltrane’s debut album, first released in 1957.
The Gobert/Encore record next to John Coltrane's 1957 album "Prestige." The album was produced by the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert's Defensive Player of the Year campaign. (Photo courtesy Utah Jazz)
“We did a lot of research on Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, other record albums, and as we were going through, we landed on the Coltrane “Prestige 7105,” Ben Barnes, art director for the Jazz, said. “We wanted something that didn’t look cheesy. There’s a nice intimidating stare that Coltrane has in this photo that I think fits Rudy’s demeanor. There’s a nice style to it.”
The album cover and liner notes cover of the Gobert - Encore record, produced by the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert's defensive player of the year campaign. (Photo courtesy Utah Jazz)
So the Jazz held a photoshoot all the way back in February, giving the team enough time to have the albums printed. Once they found a large enough table for Gobert’s wingspan — harder than it might seem — and added a smoke machine to the room, Gobert was ready to put on his best Coltrane stare. Gobert came prepared, too, wearing a suit and black turtleneck he already owned to the shoot.
The albums were pressed at United Record Pressing in Nashville — they also worked on Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” Jay-Z’s " The Black Album” and Miles Davis’ "Kind of Blue.” Meanwhile, the jackets were made at Dorado Music Packaging in Los Angeles.
The liner notes of the Gobert - Encore record, produced by the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert's Defensive Player of the Year campaign. (Photo courtesy Utah Jazz)
The final package was mailed to the media voters for the NBA’s end-of-season awards, the ballots of which were sent earlier this week. Once opened, the album features a booklet modeled after the liner notes in real jazz albums; but this Gobert/Encore edition instead lays out the case for Gobert to repeat as DPOY winner.
That’s done with key stats detailing Gobert’s defensive contributions and quotes from competing players and coaches about the big Frenchman’s impact on the floor.
The liner notes describe Gobert's contributions to the Jazz's defensive efforts, in support of Gobert's Defensive Player of the Year campaign. (Photo courtesy Utah Jazz)
The physical record inside is blank, sadly, so it won’t play in your record player at home. But the Jazz hope the imagery and the information contained inside is enough to sway voters’ minds as they vote over the next week.
