Contact:
Kaleo  847-774-4056
makanigirls@yahoo.com

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New 2011 Scheduled Performances

Monday, January 17, 2011
St. Andrews Greek Orthodox Church

Chicago, IL

Makani is guest performing for Na Kupuna Ukulele

Private Party

 

Sunday, January 23, 2011

White Eagle Restaurant

Niles, IL

Makani is guest performing for Na Kupuna Ukulele

Private Party

 

Sunday, February 13, 2011        2:00 pm

Dundee Park Library

Dundee, IL

Public Performance

 

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Silver Stallion Restaurant

Des Plaines, IL

Makani is guest performing for Na Kupuna Ukulele

Private Party

 

Sunday, February 22, 2011

Alcott Center

Buffalo Grove, IL

Private Party

Sunday, May 22, 2011               Time TBA

21st Annual Skokie Festival of Cultures

Skokie, IL

Makani is guest performing for Na Kupuna Ukulele

Public Performance

 

Thursday, June 23, 2011                    Time TBA

Indian Trails Public Library

Wheeling, IL

Makani performing with drummer, Ron Rudolf.

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Buffalo Grove Seniors Center

Buffalo Grove, IL

Private Party

Tuesday, July 19, 2011             7:00pm – 8:30pm

Willow Stream South

651 Old Checker Road

Buffalo Grove, IL

Lawn Chair Lyrics Concert Series

Free Concert

Featuring MAKANI

 

**PENDING

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Indianapolis, IN

Concert Series

Free Concert

Featuring  MAKANI

Updates Coming Soon

Friday, July 29, 2011
Evanston, IL
Makani is guest performing for Na Kupuna Ukulele
Private Party         

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Elk Grove, IL

Private Party




The Makani Story 

The Lee sisters began singing in 2003 simply to learn a little about their Hawaiian culture.  Singing was only done in the privacy of their home just outside of Chicago.  The following year while expecting the arrival of their new sister Gracie, the three older sisters prepared a song welcoming her to the world and their family.  For the next couple years, the girls would sing at the dinner table or in the car.  Their father Kaleo Lee, a Hawaiian entertainer, remembers many occasions of putting the children to bed and playing guitar in the darkened hallway while the kids would sing quietly along in their beds before falling asleep.

 

 In 2007, Kaleo Lee and family were invited to attend a Hawaiian Themed Fundraiser for a friend of the family who had taken ill.  Kaleo was playing music with his father and uncle and eventually asked the girls to sing a song.  The four girls, ages 2-10, began singing the intro to their favorite song, ‘Wahine ‘Ilikea’… in three part harmony.  Kaleo said, “Thank goodness I was wearing sunglasses at the time because I got a little choked up.  The audience response was overwhelming.”  The Lee family suffered the loss of both grandmothers in the past year.  Their mom, Therese Lee, said to the girls while hugging them, “Grandma and Tutu heard all of you from Heaven!” 

The Lee Family was asked back as Featured Performers for the groups’ annual Christmas Party and it was a success.  The girls decided to form a group name and came up with MAKANI.  In the Hawaiian language, Makani means wind.  This was to reference the ‘Windy City’ of Chicago.

Makani was born and soon they would perform for various audiences including restaurants, banquet halls, elementary schools, a local college, many cultural heritage festivals and churches in Illinois and Indiana.  A proud moment for Makani was in October ’08 when they performed two songs for the legendary Leialoha Lim Amina and Mel Amina for the Hula Association of the Midwest ‘Hawaiian Hula Days’ Ho’ike Celebration.

In 2008, the three oldest sisters began learning Hula from the very talented Shasta Puanani Hud, Kumu Hula (Hula Instructor) for the Halau (School) ‘Halau Hula O Puanani’, based out of Downers Grove, IL.

Makani is a young group of angelic voices prepared to bring a taste of Hawai’i to your Polynesian Themed event.  We offer a one hour Performance and Lei Greetings for your guests.  Think of Makani when you plan your Polynesian event in Chicago’s Windy City.

Aloha,

Your friends at Makani