D.L.I. members have over 60 Years experience with a virtual who's who in the Latin music field, including Rafael Cortijo, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, La India, the LeBron Brothers, Pete "Conde" Rodriguez, and many more.

We favor a return to the traditional styles and roots of Afro-Cuban music, and this collection features many of the vintage classics of this genre.

Tap your feet, clap your hands to the clave, let your mind drift off to yesteryear in Havana, San Juan, or Santo Domingo..... and experience the Direct Latin Influence!

Musica con sabor para bailar y gozar.

David Chamberlain

Raised in Buffalo, New York, David Chamberlain came to New York City in 1966, where he first became involved with Latin music as a teacher at the South Bronx Community Action Theater. Asked to mentor a group of students from the High School of Music & Art (now Laguardia H.S.), he taught them music fundamentals, and they taught him about their music - salsa. These students went on to record three albums as Orquesta Colon, and Dave began a love affair with Afro-Caribbean music that continues to this day. Over the years he has performed with Rafael Cortijo, Kako, Tito Puente and many more.

Dave is also active in Broadway shows, club dates with the Ken Zayback Orchestra, and as the conductor of the Hora Decima Brass Ensemble. He has been playing the trombone since he was ten and started flute when he was sixteen.

Dave first met Luisito Ayala, the group's vocalist and percussionist, over twenty-five years ago when they were both members of Tambo. Most recently, they had a twelve-year association with Cruz Control. Igor Atalita joined them in that band about five years ago. The mutual respect and admiration forged there led to this partnership...DLI.

Luisito Ayala

Born in Santurce Puerto Rico, lead volcalist and percussionist LUISITO AYALA has been in the Latin music business for over thirty years, performing with artists such as Rafael Cortijo y su Combo, Joe Cuba, Larry Harlow, The Lebron Brothers, Eddie Palmieri, Roberto Roena and his Apollo Sound, Cruz Control, Grupo Caribe, Ralphi Santi, Peter Theodore Orchestra, Cal James Orchestra, Tito Puente Orchestra, Machito Orchestra, and the Boys Harbor Conservatory of Music Orchestra. Luisito also performs bomba y plena, the folkloric music of Puerto Rico, with various groups including the Familia Cepeda, Carambu and Los Pleneros de la 21.

Igor Atalita

Igor Atalita was born and raised in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Played acoustic bass for 8 years with the Curacao Symphony Orchestra. He moved to Boston in 1987 to pursue his studies at the Berklee College of Music. In 1993 Igor graduated with studies in performance and jazz composition. Igor has worked as a freelancer in the New York area since 1995, and has performed with artists like Giovanni Hidalgo, Puntilla, Bobby Sanabria, Mauricio Smith, Tito Puente Orchestra, Andy Montanez, India, Tito Nieves, and Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez just to name a few. He was musical director of the Pathmark Hispanic Arts Festival. Igor has performed in the theatre productions "Four Guys Named Jose" and "Quien Mato a Hector LaVoe". Igor has toured Europe with Patato Valdez, the Ray Vega Jazz Group and the Bronx Horns. Igor's credits include performances at the Bern, Switzerland Jazz Festival and the Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico. Currently working with The Ray Vega Latin Jazz Group that recently performed at the Saratoga Jazz Festival in NY, he also recorded the last two Ray Vega CDs.