Tinkers Are Ready to Take On the World

The Tinker’s Own, the Costa Mesa-based, Celtic-powered folk group, is primed to reach beyond the borders of Orange County. The band’s second CD, the new, self-released “Bending the Banshee’s Ear,” is receiving radio airplay as far away as Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal and Canada.

And it’s not just one or two cuts. According to FolkDJ-L, an electronic subscription service that tracks radio playlists, a whopping 13 of the release’s 15 selections have been aired worldwide since its release just six weeks ago.

With the potential of the Internet to expand its following even more, the Tinker’s Own (https://www.tinkersown.com) could soon have fans all over the world. The group--whose fluctuating lineup ranges from six to 10 members depending on their availability--is delighted with this kind of exposure. At the same time, it’s not getting carried away by it.

“People ask me if we’re selling more CDs because of all the airplay--well, we’re not. It could happen, I suppose,” said founding member and fretted-dulcimer player-guitarist Steve Dulson during an interview. The band will perform tonight at Borders Books Music and Cafe in Brea.

“It is a nice feeling, though, that these deejays have the CD and think we’re worth playing in a set with the Chieftains and the Battlefield Band and all these other [high-profile] people,” he said. “It’s very gratifying to have one’s efforts recognized by people whose tastes you respect.”

“Bending the Banshee’s Ear” features a sparkling collection of the traditional and contemporary folk music of the British Isles and North America. The spirited ensemble playing--a mix of Appalachian and hammered dulcimers, flute, whistle, dumbek, harp, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bodhran, bones and spoons--blends warmly with the baritone of Dan Dwyer and soprano of Karen Curry.

But in contrast to “Old Enough to Know Better,” the Tinkers’ 1995 debut release, the new album benefited from both an outside producer and the band members’ own seasoning.

“This time we had someone [Dino Maddalone] not just twiddling knobs, but making artistic suggestions and decisions,” said Dulson, who works by day as a production manager for an electronics manufacturing company. “For instance, he’d say to Karen and Dan, ‘You got all the notes right, but where’s the performance? Sing it like you mean it.’ ”

“He didn’t worry at all about hurting our feelings--and that’s good,” added Dwyer.

Dulson’s wife, bodhran-dumbek-flute-spoons player Michele Dulson, interjected that Maddalone also knew when to say when.

Alluding to the perfectionism that marked the “Old Enough to Know Better” sessions, she said, “It was good to have someone who would say, ‘That’s it. It’s not gonna get any better. That’s perfect.’ ”

The Tinkers have found rejuvenation in several new players, namely fiddler Ben Russell, bassist-fretted dulcimer player Connie Allen and multi-instrumentalist Chris Peterson.

“The band was static for many years, but these additional players bring their own unique strengths and move us in different ways,” said Steve Dulson. “Whenever you play with someone new, you learn something. Not only do they contribute some of their own songs, but they reinterpret our older material. That’s been very energizing.”

The classically trained Russell, a 21-year-old student at Biola University, also plays in a classical quartet. In fact, having just performed at a banquet before last week’s gig at Borders in Costa Mesa, the tuxedo-clad Russell had to bring a change of clothes along in his car.

“I’ve always been interested in Irish music but never really had a chance to play it,” said Russell, who became a Tinker about two years ago. “When I joined this group, I was really just staring at the sheet music and playing notes. Since then, though, I’ve been able to free myself more and inject my own personality into the mix.”

“We take these well-trained musicians and lead them astray,” quipped Dwyer with a big grin. “We’re the people their music teachers warned them about.”

Even though the group would love to establish a global presence, the Tinker’s Own still has some work to do in its own backyard. “We certainly don’t do this for the money. It’s that feeling of connection with the audience,” said Dwyer. “Like tonight, this woman came up to me and said, ‘I had no idea you can find music like this in Orange County.’ Somebody just glowing. . . . That’s what it’s all about.”

Steve Dulson, who also organizes the monthly Living Tradition Folk Music Series in Anaheim, agreed: “People unfamiliar with the dulcimer or maybe the bones ask me, ‘What kind of music is that?’ I’ll say, ‘The kind we like!’ I think a lot of people haven’t heard anything that wasn’t electric or background, elevator-type music. This music is rich and alive. . . . It’s real people playing real instruments.”

“The cool thing about folk music is that it’s accessible,” added Peterson. “There’s a lot of good folk and Celtic music on those shelves that hardly anyone listens to. Maybe our playing will inspire people to go find some music they normally wouldn’t seek out.”

* The Tinker’s Own performs today at Borders Books Music & Cafe, 429 S. Associated Road, Brea. 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Free. (714) 672-0120.