We got a chance to sit down and catch up with Eric Bobo, world-renowned percussionist of Cypress Hill at Case Blue in Highland Park on Saturday. We discussed his new album The Meeting Of The Minds. Available today, November 18th, 2008 on Nacional Records. So make sure to run out and cop that.

SA - You are releasing your solo album Meeting of The Minds on November 18th. Tell us about the project and what the vision and goals are behind it?

EB - Basically, The Meeting of the Minds came from the when the mixtape phenomenon was really happening. Everybody was coming out with mixtapes you know, emcees, DJs, producers, whatever. And me as a percussionist thought how can I really get into that and make it work. So that was kind of like the foundation of it. Then it kind of grew from that, as different people were reaching out to me, and getting the opportunity to work with different peeps. It was really just the bringing together of different genres. It’s not just a straight hip hop album. My background isn’t just straight Hip Hop, it’s a really wide range. So with this album I kind of wanted to show that.

SA - How long has this project been in the works?

EB - This project is 3 years in the making, I started in 2005 you know really going into the studio and laying it down. I’ve been talking about doing a solo album for the longest amount of time, but it really started to grow 3 years ago.

SA - What Are your plans on Promoting the album?

EB - I plan on definitely touring the record. Get a little group together, I feel that a lot of the songs on the album, I can do live. Granted there are a lot of guest appearances on the album, but my big plan is to do a little package thing with some of the artists that are on the album. That way we can all go out and do a tour, they can do their set and then we all come together at the end. Definitely got some big plans in 09 to do some stuff with the album.

SA - Let’s switch it up for a minute. Your father is renowned Latin Jazz percussionist Willie Bobo. What was it like growing up around music?

EB - It was incredible you know being able to meet and be mentored by some of the jazz innovators, you know, it was incredible. And to be around that time when there was a lot of jazz musicians and jazz clubs out here in L.A. and getting a chance to really sit in sometimes and just even watch it was amazing, because it really opened up you ears to a lot of things. A lot of music that’s been sampled through out the years, I remember when some of them joints was coming out. It’s really been a blessing because it helped shape me how I played toward Hip Hop and even other types of music. In what to listen for and really improvise.

SA - Did you have other peers that were into the music like you were?

EB - I really didn’t have anyone my age that was doing it at the time you know. My pops was always saying “Well you gotta find people your own age to get something together”, but it really wasn’t like that. So it was more that I had to rely on people I was meeting through him, you know. Getting on stage and sitting in and what not.

SA - There seems to be a decline in Jazz music these days. With low radio play and declining music education in schools. How do you feel it’s playing out?

EB - It’s not at the forefront any more, you know what I mean? Even playing instruments, isn’t as much in the forefront as it used to be. Now you just get your own studio, get your own pro-tools, get your own laptop, your little oxygen thing and you’re good. To me I’m just glad I grew up in that time that I could still apply those things. I’m sure that there are a lot of dope musicians out there, some up and coming musicians, they just need a chance to be heard.

SA - Back to The Meeting Of The Minds, you talked about having a lot of guest appearances on the album, who do you have?

EB - I was blessed to have people like Thirstin Howl III, Tony Touch, Ill Bill, Sick Jacken, B-Real. Some underground cats, that are bubblin’ under the radar like Minus P, Outthere (A dope ass producer), Demigodz. Mellow Man Ace, I was blessed to have him on a track. I just kind of went form a pool of friends and seeing who was down to get down with me. It kind of worked out, and having some people from the Latin Genre like Toy Selectah, he DJ’d with Control Machete, who was very influenced from Cypress and everything. So it was cool to kind of bring that into the game as well. So you know different flavors.

SA - Any interesting stories from the making of this album? Some people maybe you wanted on the album but didn’t get?

EB - Wow, I did have my wish list. But I think it was more about me going out to Tuscan and just experimenting with that. Not knowing anybody. It’s just the strip clubs the diner, places like that and that was it. It went along pretty smoothly, it just took a long time. And it was pretty draining. Cause you know trying to put it all together, trying to sequence it, make it all fit and make it sound as cohesive as possible, was a challenge. So it took a minute but nothing really out of the ordinary happened that I can remember……At this time…

SA - As you promote “Meeting of The Minds” where do you see the future taking Eric Bobo? What are the next steps for you as a person and as an artist?

EB - I plan to work this album for a while, and at the same time we got the next Cypress Hill record. So I’ll be doing a bit of double duty. Just really want to get this record out there and perform when I can, I think right now you have to definitely be out there on the road touring and doing shows. Because you know records sales aren’t what they used to be. It’s about downloads and stuff like that, you got to have something for people to see. So even if you put it on your tube or something its there. I’m looking forward to it, because it’s been a long time since it’s been doing my own thing and doing shows.

SA - Tell us about the “Apocalypse Now” track you have on the album with B-Real, Sick Jacken and Ill Bill?

EB - It’s not the concept of the whole album, it’s a taste of where I’m from, you know the darker side. The album itself it has it’s dark moments, but it’s light and really musical and eclectic more so. So it’s not that every song is dark, it’s not like a Cypress record. To me it’s different it really opens up your ears a little bit and even the people that are straight into Hip Hop I think will enjoy a lot of stuff on the record as well.

SA - Anything you want to say to the Eric Bobo Fans out there?

EB - I’d like to let everybody know that I’m really appreciative of the support through out the years with Cypress Hill, the Soul Assassins and myself. I’m looking forward to giving them real good music with my album and the next Cypress Hill record. You know the whole Soul Assassins camp and just keep on doing that shit. Keep on supporting…