MINNEAPOLIS — Go ahead. Sniff the mitten.

Just in time for Christmas, the George Maurer Jazz Group is releasing its new live holiday CD, Sniff the Mitten, with a big-band sound guaranteed to spread the spirit to even the Grinchiest of listeners.

Sniff the Mitten hits the streets Dec. 3 and will be available at the Electric Fetus Minneapolis, online at http://www.georgemaurer.com and at George Maurer Jazz Group and Trio shows.

The George Maurer Jazz Group will celebrate the CD release as part of its annual holiday show at 8 p.m. Dec. 23 at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis.

All 18 tracks on Sniff the Mitten were recorded live at the Dakota in December 2006 and showcase the group’s trademark irreverent, tongue-in-cheek takes on Christmas classics. Maurer and company twist traditional jazz frameworks, quoting Motown to Monk (Thelonious, that is) and Broadway to the Big Easy. Just when you expect them to pull another jazz riff out of Santa’s bag, they give you a little hit of Led Zeppelin instead.

Highlights include a blowout of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” that fuses Henry Mancini with Dr. Seuss, and a dead-on tribute to Dean Martin’s “The Christmas Blues.” (The band is pretty sure vocalist Richard Witteman can channel the entire Rat Pack.)

There are even a couple of hybrids in this latest release (contributing to holiday warming?). Pianist/arranger George Maurer found that layering the changes from “Django’s Castle,” (MPR “The Jazz Image” former host Leigh Kamman’s theme song) under Frank Loesser’s “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” created a perfect mix. Witteman cameos Kamman with an uncanny intro.

This is the George Maurer Jazz Group’s second Christmas CD, and the title follows the same roguish tradition as its first holiday release, “Jazz Nog.” Anyone who has seen the cult classic mockumentary This is Spinal Tap will recognize the inspiration for Sniff the Mitten

Sniff the Mitten is the George Maurer Jazz Group’s third release recorded live at the Dakota. This is one of the largest groups to play the Dakota each year, with 15 musicians on the stage at any given time.

Performing on the CD are George Maurer on piano, Jeff Engholm on bass, Muggsy Lauer on guitar, Scott Chabot on drums and Richard Witteman on trumpet. Ann Michaels provides lead vocals, with Engholm, Lauer and Witteman taking their turns with the lead as well as singing duets. Bandleader Maurer lends plenty of commentary and keeps the band just this side of chaos from his seat at the Dakota’s Yamaha C7.

Additional performers include the son-and-dad team of Mike and Don Anderson on woodwinds, Tom Pattock on trumpet, Jim Ten Bensel on trombone and vocals, and the Vork family (Ken on bass trombone, Gretchen on French horn, and daughters Erin on French horn and Lauren on tenor trombone).

See http://www.georgemaurer.com for show details and coming performances, including the George Maurer Jazz Group’s annual appearance on the KARE-11 Saturday Morning Program and holiday shows around the state.