Chris and Christopher Wintrip settled onto stools in the recording studio at Gattuso’s Music & More.
Christopher, 23, is the son of Chris, 74, a music veteran in the Canton area and beyond. The father strummed an acoustic guitar. Christopher warmed up his vocal cords briefly.
Some rough edges could have been expected during their impromptu montage of Hall & Oates songs, despite their previous shows as founding members of Mind Over Matter, a tribute to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame duo.
But there was no rust, no miscues as they whipped through snippets of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Rich Girl,” “Private Eyes,” “Maneater” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).” Only smooth harmonies and proficient musicianship filled the room, a product of the musical bond between father and son.
Communication between the two is as natural with music as spoken words.
“There’s a unique kind of spark when it’s father and son,” Christopher Wintrip said. “It feels internalized and emotional. Every band I’ve performed in has either been created by (his father) or alongside him. I don’t want to play with anyone else.”
Added the elder Wintrip: “We’ve got each other’s back all the time. We finish each other’s sentence musically and lyrically − it happens all the time.”
The duo has played together before in various bands. But the Perry Township residents never pursued a permanent group together until jointly forming the Hall & Oates tribute.
Playing gigs both inside and outside Ohio, Mind Over Matter will have its biggest local show on May 30 at Lions Lincoln Theatre in downtown Massillon.