How well does the ESX-2 do when starting from scratch?

[DimensionX]

So I've used the original EMX-SD but never got around to trying the ESX. I am living on the street for a few months and need a machine that I can busk with when im not doing sound design on my laptop. Something battery powered and more like an instrument and LESS like a computer (octatrack) because I get my computer fix on well, my computer.

A couple of questions though..

1. How easy is it to improv/jam from scratch with personal samples without any pre-setup?
2. One thing I remember about the EMX was I would make a 16 bar or whatever - loop, but then you had to have an already made beat to leave the current loop to change it up? I guess you could just have a drum set but this kinda turned me off about the electribe, how does switching from one loop to the next compare with the ESX vs new?

I say starting from scratch because my friends and I like to start from scratch and work into a song.