A minimal incision maximal access minimal invasive surgical spine instrument comprising: a first retractor member; a second retractor member; a support having a first member for supporting said first retractor member and a second member for supporting said second retractor member, said first member of said support controllably angularly pivotable with respect to said second member of said support, and wherein each of said a first retractor member and said second retractor member is movable in translation independent of the position of the other of the first retractor member and second retractor member, and wherein each of said first member and said second member has a pivot axis and wherein the instrument includes a support member mechanical linkage for manipulating said first member with respect to said second member and said second member with respect to said first member; wherein said support member mechanical linkage comprises a first tilt adjustment fitting associated with said first member and a second tilt adjustment fitting associated with said second member, said tilt adjustment fittings (951, 953) also associated with at least one main support (921, 923), to enable said first member to be controllably pivoted with respect to said second member, and further wherein: each of said first retractor member and second retractor member has pivoting movement by a retractor member mechanical linkage for manipulating each of said first retractor member and second retractor member with respect to its associated one of said first member and said second member. a first retractor member; a second retractor member; a support having a first member for supporting said first retractor member and a second member for supporting said second retractor member, said first member of said support controllably angularly pivotable with respect to said second member of said support, and wherein each of said a first retractor member and said second retractor member is movable in translation independent of the position of the other of the first retractor member and second retractor member, and wherein each of said first member and said second member has a pivot axis and wherein the instrument includes a support member mechanical linkage for manipulating said first member with respect to said second member and said second member with respect to said first member; wherein said support member mechanical linkage comprises a first tilt adjustment fitting associated with said first member and a second tilt adjustment fitting associated with said second member, said tilt adjustment fittings (951, 953) also associated with at least one main support (921, 923), to enable said first member to be controllably pivoted with respect to said second member, and further wherein: each of said first retractor member and second retractor member has pivoting movement by a retractor member mechanical linkage for manipulating each of said first retractor member and second retractor member with respect to its associated one of said first member and said second member. each of said first retractor member and second retractor member has pivoting movement by a retractor member mechanical linkage for manipulating each of said first retractor member and second retractor member with respect to its associated one of said first member and said second member.