My brother Kayhan informed me yesterday that one of his mentors,
Greg Curbow, recently passed away. Neither Kayhan or I knew him personaly, yet Greg was able to touch our lives in a way only truly loving people can.
A little over a year ago Kayhan decided that he was going to build a bass from scratch with absolutely no knowledge on how to start. He bought a couple "How To" books and dissected my old guitar to figure out what he'd need to begin. Around the same time I introduced him to my buddy Carlos who happened to have a $5 k Curbow bass that he worked very hard for (now I understand why).
This handmade bass is beautiful, nobody I know who's seen it would disagree. Lifting it off the stand you know it's something special just by its weight. It's solid and heavy but it sits in your arms gently like a baby. You know it’s a masterpiece when you hit a string and you feel this deep sound bellowing through the wood into your body. It was Carlos's Curbow bass that served to introduced Kayhan and I to this truly great man.
After doing some research Kayhan called Curbow's shop for some advice and parts. Greg took an hour out of his schedule to personally talk to Kayhan about different woods, parts and way to go about starting the project. He could have easily passed Kayhan to one of his associates, but that's not the kind of man he was.
I remember the first time Kayhan got off the phone with Greg, he couldn't hold in his excitement and had the biggest smile on his face. He told me how Greg was sending him some special cuts of wood and that he wanted to help him throughout the project. They continued to connect over the phone for the next few months as the bass started to take shape. Every time they spoke Kayhan had a surge of inspiration to take his bass to the next level. Greg saw pictures and invited Kayhan out to his shop/school.
Greg Curbow was able to touch my brother’s life over the phone.
Just yesterday Kayhan called Greg's shop to update him on the progress. One of his associates named Simon answered (Simon and Kayhan grew to know each other over the last year) and delivered the sad news – Greg had passed away a month ago from a brain tumor. I can only imagine the emotions that flew through Kayhan's body. Here's one of his buddies on the phone telling him that his mentor passed away from a brain tumor that he's been suffering from for some time now, of which Greg never said a word. I know how he felt because he came in my room right after receiving word and told me what had happened. I personally felt my guts wrench like someone grabbed them with both hands and then twisted.
The thing is I know Greg was able to touch many other people's lives like he touched ours, that is the kind of person he was. He did what he loved and shared it with a open heart. His life serves to guide us all.
I notice something interesting after Kayhand told me about Greg. Our dog Max was lying on my bed. Every time the mail man comes he jumps up and runs to the mail slot where he proceeds to bark so hard that he starves himself of air. Yesterday for the first time Max didn't address the mailman. He stood up and looked at the door as if he were about to go tear a chunk out of the guy, but this time he looked back at me as if he was aware something was different. We made eye contact and then he just laid back down. There was some presence in my room that he was able to pick up on. I don't know what it was, but it was something special.
I'm happy to say that Kayhan's bass will be dedicated to Greg Curbow, the passionate man whom he never met in person but who was able to touch his life deeply.
R.I.P.
