Disley did his National Service overseas in the Army from 1950–1953 after which he resumed his studies in Leeds and began selling cartoons to national newspapers and periodicals. In 1953 he worked for a summer season in Morecambe, Lancashire, as part of the comedy harmony group The Godfrey Brothers, still playing banjo. He moved to London and joined Mick Mulligan's band with George Melly. Melly described him as having "a beard and [...] the face of a satyr en route to a cheerful orgy". He worked with most of the trad jazz bands of the day, including those of Ken Colyer, Cy Laurie, Sandy Brown, Kenny Ball, and Alex Welsh. He played banjo and occasionally guitar. His first love remained the music of Django Reinhardt, in particular the sound of the pre-war Quintette du Hot Club de France. In 1958 he formed a quintet to replicate that sound, employing Dick Powell on violin, Danny Pursford and Nevil Skrimshire on rhythm guitars, and a range of double bassists including Tim Mahn.