‘COAST TO COAST’

“It’s broad, it’s offbeat, it’s . . . well. . . .”

Producer Ken Ehrlich was struggling to explain the concept of his globe-trotting music magazine “Showtime Coast to Coast,” which was scheduled to debut this weekend on the Showtime cable channel.

The word he was probably looking for was hip . Instead of mainstream superstars, Ehrlich, 44, prefers to showcase high-quality performers with limited audiences, such as jazz-oriented singers like the Manhattan Transfer, Joni Mitchell and Bobby McFerrin, as well as talented, underexposed artists like punkish country singer K. D. Lang, New Orleans’ Neville Brothers and comedians Greg Travis and Robert Schimmel.

They’re all on the 90-minute premiere show, which is hosted by Herbie Hancock (it’s also set to air on Sept. 8, 11, 16 and 20). It’s not one of those standard TV-studio affairs. “A studio isn’t a great place to see most artists,” Ehrlich explained. “On this show, we go to the artists and see them at work in their environment.”

So he took cameras to places like New Orleans for the Neville Brothers and Alberta, Canada, for Lang. The Manhattan Transfer was taped recording a Brazilian album in Rio de Janeiro.

Producing this show gave Ehrlich an opportunity to indulge in his passion for creating “artist stews.” He likes to gather performers who have never worked together and toss them into a session to see what happens. This show concludes with one of his successful stews--a jazz jam session with Hancock, Mitchell, McFerrin and sax players David Sanborn and Wayne Shorter.

Ehrlich conceived the show late last year, when he read that Showtime was in the market for new kinds of variety programming. He took his music-magazine idea to Showtime execs and convinced them to finance one show. Undoubtedly a strong selling point was his impressive string of credentials as producer of shows like PBS’ exemplary “Soundstage,” the Grammy ceremonies, the TV series “Fame” and assorted pop-music concert specials.

“Showtime Coast to Coast” is a pilot show. If it’s well received, Showtime will finance six more, most likely to be aired monthly or bimonthly next year. “We’ll know by Oct. 1 whether they’ll let us do more of these shows,” said Ehrlich, who insisted he’d be on pins and needles until then.