On Dec. 4, the Le Moyne College Jazz Ensemble and the Young Lions of CNY will perform their winter concert at Jazz Central. It is just the latest of many collaborations between the two groups.

“The Young Lions of CNY came about five years ago when a few high school jazz musicians were interested in forming a band comprised of the best student musicians in the area,” Jazz Ensemble director Joe Colombo said. “I was approached about being the director of the band and decided to take on the project.”

“The connection with Le Moyne College came about when Andrew Russo (then an Artist in Residence at the school) offered a space to rehearse and opportunities to perform with the college band at the concerts,” said Colombo. “So the Young Lions more or less became a community outreach for Le Moyne; they had great opportunities to perform with guest artists in a venue outside of their high schools.”

The concert features renditions of songs from “The Great American Songbook” (“Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Jump, Jive and Wail,” “Georgia on my Mind,” etc.) as well as a Christmas jazz suite.

“The students have been enthusiastic and they have worked diligently during rehearsal,” Colombo said. “The band has grown personally and musically in the past two years, which is very exciting.”

The Jazz Ensemble and Young Lions of CNY winter concert takes place on Sunday Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Jazz Central (441 East Washington St.). Tickets are free for students and the Le Moyne community.