Llu�s Llach i Grande is a Catalan composer and songwriter from Girona. He is one of the main representatives of Nova can��, a movement of musicians, and singers who defied Francisco Franco's dictatorship by singing political songs in Catalan during a time where the language, and all other cultural manifestations of Catalan identity were prohibited. His famous song L'Estaca about a rotten stick about to fall was clear enough as an image of the regime. As many other singers, writers and politically involved artists, Llach left Spain and lived in voluntary exile in Paris until the death of the dictator. Though partially dependent on arrangers, like Manel Camp or Carles Cases in his early works, Llach's songwriting has largely evolved from the more basic early compositions to a vastly more complex harmonic and melodic writing. Self-taught as a guitarist, Llach only strums simple chords on guitar. As a pianist, he shows a good knowledge of the European song tradition from Schubert to Hahn with touches of Satie and his local epygons like Mompou and Manuel Blancafort. Llach has used salsa piano patterns and jazzy whole-step block modulations and progressions. 

May 7th, 1948 in Verges (Age 76)