As a vocalist, Syleena Johnson has always had a sense of quiet assurance and unshakeable authority that's become increasingly rare among R&B divas. Her first five solo albums are remarkably consistent, despite being released by a variety of labels and under the supervision of producers as diverse as R&B auteur R. Kelly, studio maven Earl Powell, and hip-hop producer Hi-Tek. Whether she's singing over vintage funk loops, lush modern soul arrangements, or the sparest of acoustic backgrounds, Johnson invests her performances with real power and a sense of effortless grace that can only stem from hard-won vocal prowess. So it shouldn’t comes as any surprise that Syleena shines on Acoustic Soul Sessions, an EP of stripped-down live performances that serves as an unadorned showcase for her considerable talents. This set was recorded in the fall of 2011 and relies heavily on cuts from her then-new effort Chapter V. But some of the album’s best moments come when Johnson steps away from this more familiar material, as on her relaxed take on The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses."