What does the United States Coast Guard have in common with Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Al Hirt, Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard and Sharkey Bonano?

Let's think about this. All the individuals listed are from New Orleans, right?

Were they ... folks saved post-Katrina when the heroic Coasties rescued more than 35,000 people? Nope.

They're from a much earlier time and are iconic musical frontiersmen who, in the course of helping to invent jazz music, came up with the style known as "Dixieland."

Well, it so happens that the U.S. Coast Guard's elite band has an offshoot ensemble devoted to Dixieland music. They're superb and it's with great pride that The Day welcomes the U.S. Coast Guard Dixieland Band to New London's Hygienic Art Park at noon today, when they perform in the latest of our Live Lunch Break concert series.

As always, sumptuous food offerings will be available from Italian Express, and beer and wine are available for purchase as well.

- RICK KOSTER

Live Lunch Break, noon today, Hygienic Art Park, 79 Bank St., New London; free; theday.com.