Respected criminal defense attorney lives his dream as deejay of

Practicing law might have helped form Don Wolff's mind, but it was jazz that molded his soul.

Known as a well-respected criminal defense attorney, called upon as an expert source regarding legal matters and relied on as a writer and academic in his profession, Wolff found his real identity long ago and far away from the courtrooms and jurisprudence.

It is the community of jazz that Wolff calls home. In this avocation he is better known as a genuine and widely respected expert, friend to world-renowned musicians, catalyst for new talent, contributor to the preservation of this musical genre and gracious host to both performers and aficionados.

How many people get to live out their dream? This is what I always wanted to do, Wolff said as he prepared to start his weekly jazz program on KMOX radio, where Saturday night will mark the beginning of his 13th year of offering listeners in 40 states and Canada the best jazz has to offer from traditional favorites to contemporary trailblazers.

I guess I first became introduced to jazz as a child in my home, Wolff said, recalling the origins of his passion. My mother's love for music and love for big bands, particularly Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. She was a big Sinatra fan. I guess that was my initial introduction.

While other boys were playing outside and dreaming of becoming the next Stan Musial or Rocky Marciano, Wolff imitated heroes of his own and, with a tape recorder at his side, imagined one day being a jazz radio host like Pete Bridgewater or Al Benson. One source close to Wolff claimed that as a boy in St. Louis this future barrister and hip character sold newspapers outside bars on Delmar Avenue so he could be near the music he loved - even if he was too young to go inside.

As I grew older, [jazz] was the kind of music I enjoyed most. While many of my peers moved in the direction of Elvis and the Beatles, I stayed pretty much with Ellington and Basie, Wolff said.

After completing his schooling, Wolff served a stint in the military and was an Army lawyer with the JAG Corps in Europe. It was there he found his future wife, Heidi, but was never out of touch with this melodious first love.

Returning to America, the Wolffs soon had three children and not enough money to frequent venues for live jazz. With three kids in diapers, there is no way you can go out. That is when I developed my passion, if not my obsession, in jazz record collecting, Wolff said.

Over time this lawyer advanced in the career that paid his bills but always returned to the world of his boyhood dream, where playing broadcaster gave way to serious study of the art he cherished and offered sanctuary from the seriousness and stress of criminal defense.

I found in jazz the opportunity to escape, Wolff said. I could go downstairs and listen to the music and put the problems of my career behind me. My need to satisfy my ego, my need to win, my need to be financially successful, all those human needs I put aside so I could enjoy myself.

Wolff admitted that although he has always tried to keep his two lives separated from each other, he can recognize how the music and the artists he has listened to and developed relationships with have occasionally carried over to the courtroom.

I don't try jury cases with notes. I never wrote out a script ahead of time. I deal with my audience by looking them in the eye. I keep looking at them at a level where I know I am communicating. That's what jazz is - communicating. It's intimate. That is how it differs from some other forms of music. The musician on the stage improvises. He is communicating without a script as he talks to his audience. And although he might play the same song night after night, he never performs it exactly the same twice. He plays to that moment. For me it is important to communicate with my clients and the jury the same way that I communicate with my radio audience. I guess that might be where [presenting jazz and practicing law] might be similar, Wolff said.

Wolff said that most people cannot comprehend the bond between those involved in the jazz community that is not as pronounced in other musical circles. Many people do not understand that level of communication and do not take the time to really listen closely to the subtleties of a given performance, he said.

Wolff confirmed the same could be said about how the general public frequently does not understand lawyers and how often lawyers do not understand the purpose of their own careers. I have a great concern about the profession of law vs. the business of law, he said. I fear that we have lost our sense of profession. The emphasis is on winning. The emphasis is on economics. The emphasis is on competition. It starts in law school and carries over into the practice. Professional courtesy with our clients and ourselves is endangered because of this attitude. I think we need to return to the practice of law where we can look in the mirror and be proud of what we do every day. How we serve our clients and the community as a whole. If we don't return to that, we are an endangered species.