John Kolivas was a sixth grader at Punahou School when he switched his musical studies from cello to acoustic bass. Though many a student might struggle with the fact that the bass is a bigger, bulkier and heavier instrument than the cello, the decision served him well.

Kolivas was a senior when he played his first professional, paid job in Diamond Head Theatre’s 1979 production of “Pippin.” In 1980, he became the musical director of the Keola &Kapono Beamer show in Waikiki. Kolivas, who also played guitar and electric bass, moved to New York in 1982 and spent eight years working on Broadway and in off-Broadway shows, club gigs and as a musician for hire. He returned to Hawaii in 1990.

Kolivas joined the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra (then known as the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra) in 1997. He founded the Honolulu Jazz Quartet — with Dan Del Negro (piano), Tim Tsukiyama (saxophone) and Adam “Von” Baron (drums) — in 2002; Noel Okimoto joined the group when Baron moved to Japan.

Kolivas, 61, is celebrating the quartet’s 20th anniversary with a commemorative album, “Straight Ahead,” that includes newly written compositions by each member of the group along with fresh arrangements of jazz and pop standards.

The Honolulu Jazz Quartet will make a guest appearance at Henry Kapono’s “Home in the Islands” concert June 18 at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell. For more information, visit honolulujazzquartet.com or ticketmaster.com.

Congratulations on the anniversary and the new album. How did you put it together during the pandemic?

We got a call from Jason Taglianetti from HPR (Hawaii Public Radio). I thought they wanted us to play live for a concert like we would at the Atherton, but it turned out that they were gonna record us. Jason was great, it was just him and us. One day we rehearsed 14 tunes and the next day we recorded them. That’s pretty crazy. My hands were sore ‘cause I hadn’t been playing, but the more we played, the better it was. And actually it turned out pretty well.

What do you have planned for the June 18 concert?

I think we’re going to open the concert. Even though we’re a jazz group, I’ve always played Hawaiian music as well, and I always wanted to play at one of these events. I’m really happy that Henry’s giving us the opportunity.

Looking back, how did it happen that a 19-year-old became the musical director of a major Waikiki show?

When I was 18, I was hired to play “A Chorus Line” in the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Jim Perry, who was the sound engineer for the show, heard me and recommended me to the Beamers. I didn’t take the job at first because I was really more into jazz and I was trying to help my jazz group, but I was kind of a confident kid. I thought, “Hey, if I can play jazz, I can play this.” It was great Hawaiian music, and as I got to know (Keola and Kapono), the more I realized what great artists they both are. I’ve been playing with them (individually) ever since.

So what lured you to New York?

All my heroes were in New York — Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Stafford James. So it was jazz and shows, because I love doing Broadway shows as well. That’s New York. It’s amazing who you run into on the street. I loved it over there.

What is the origin story of the Honolulu Jazz Quartet’s first recording, “Remembrance,” which honored the 9/11 victims?

I was in the process of writing a song about some of the great jazz players from Hawaii who’d passed away — like Trummy Young and Paul Madison. I was in that mindset when my (younger) brother, Nick, called from San Francisco and told me (about the attacks). I love New York, my wife and I got married in New York; she used to work in the World Trade Center. So the song that I had started to write became “Remembrance,” and then later my (older) brother, Robert (Pennybacker), wrote the lyrics.

Twenty years later, what’s next?

Later this summer we’ll be playing at Medici’s, and there’s a venue on the North Shore that we’re looking at. Several years ago, we did a tour in the West Coast, which was a lot of fun. I don’t know if that’s possible in this day and age, but we want to keep playing and keep creating music.