[linux-audio-user] Advice on software?

Hi list. I've taken a break from sequenced music for several years, during which I changed OS from Windows to GNU/Linux and acquired an older laptop as an upgrade from my geriatric desktop. Now I'm getting "the call" to return to it, so I have the fun task of finding a new way for me to write music! I'm finding myself trying to recreate the way I used to do it, which consisted of using a MIDI loop sequencer for my hardware sampler and synthesisers, recording sequenced loops into the PC, munging them with cool plugins and setting up loop points etc, exporting them to my sampler, then arranging using a MIDI sequencer and my sampler. But having read about the wonders of Jack, and playing briefly with a few Jack-ed apps, I've come to suspect that I will have more fun and get more done by exploring some alternative toolchains ;-) The main problem I am having is that there is just so much info to trawl through and so many apps! Can anyone recommend something stable that could function as a jack-connected sampler player, and something else stable that could function as a regular MIDI sequencer and/or MIDI loop/drum sequencer for my external synths? The other thing plaguing me is that the sound card in my laptop is complete rubbish (Neomagic AC97 thingy) and I'd like to get something external to pipe the audio from my hardware synths in, any suggestions on something USB or PCMCIA and well-supported with good latency? I would only use stereo. Thanks for any and all advice! -- Darren New Zealand