This post is dedicated to the memory of Max Waller, my fellow music researcher who helped me with many articles over the years, for which I am grateful.

Tamara’s New Generation is an obscure Chicago-area group with just one single to their name, released on IRC 6943. The A-side “Just Flowers” is a Gabor Szabo style number with flute, a two-note keyboard line, and some fine raga guitar work.

I prefer the flip, “Traffic” with it’s pulsating bass line, beatnik vibe, and crashing end. Interestingly, the dead wax codes reverse the A & B sides, which makes more sense to me.

Members included:

Tamara – lead vocals
Pete Ianni – ?
Tom Miller – bass
Ollie – ?
Denny – ?
Brian – ?
Paul – ?

Although this may be the only International Recording Company credit for Perry Johnson, he did writing and arrangement for related labels like Royal Blue (the Paniks “Look Twice”, the Wild “Monkees”, Lou Capri “Love and Kisses”) and Redd Robb (Edges of Wisdom “Past”, Holocaust “Savage Affection”).

This is the first time I’ve covered a band from the IRC (International Recording Co.) label, which released a number of great 45s by the Little Boy Blues, Danny’s Reasons and others; and was the studio for the Crees 4 acetate “Misunderstanding” / “Looking at Your Picture”, released in 2021 by Mojo-Bone.